The foot injury that was expected to shut down Jalen Mills for the season prompted the Eagles to place the third-year cornerback on IR.
Philadelphia will shelve Mills for the rest of the season, and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets the team will promote defensive tackle Bruce Hector to its active roster.
Mills joins Ronald Darby as Eagles corners on IR. Clinging to NFC East title hopes going into a crucial game in Dallas, the defending champions aren’t as depleted as they recently were at this position. Sidney Jones returned to the Eagles’ lineup on Monday night. However, Avonte Maddox did not practice this week and is not expected to play. Jones and Rasul Douglas are expected to be Philadelphia’s top corners against the Cowboys.
A 2016 seventh-round pick, Mills has not played since October. Pro Football Focus graded Mills, Jones and Douglas near the bottom of the 2018 cornerback contingent. The Eagles rank 19th in pass defense DVOA. That said, Philly has managed back-to-back wins over NFC East competition — the second of which coming against a more injury-damaged Washington team.
One more season remains on Mills’ rookie contract. Hector is a rookie UDFA who has played in six games this season.