Eagles Injury Report: Philly enter postseason healthy, 49ers do not

Eagles enter Wild Card Weekend healthier than they’ve been in months — and that alone should have San Francisco feeling uneasy.

While Philly spent Week 18 doing the smart thing (resting starters and avoiding unnecessary violence), the 49ers were busy surviving a rock fight against Seattle that left them battered, thin, and scrambling for answers on defense. When you stack the two injury reports side by side, the contrast is glaring.

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Eagles Injury Report: Trending the Right Way at the Perfect Time

Let’s start with the good guys.

The Eagles’ injury report is light, manageable, and — most importantly — moving in the right direction as Sunday approaches.

The biggest development of the week is Lane Johnson returning to practice for the first time in months. That alone is massive. Even if he’s not 100 percent, a limited Lane Johnson is still worlds better than the alternatives, and all signs point to him suiting up.

Nakobe Dean is also expected to play, per Vic Fangio, which stabilizes the middle of the defense. Jalen Carter popped up with a hip issue last week, but he practiced in a limited capacity and doesn’t appear to be in danger of missing the game.

Other notable names — Dallas Goedert, Marcus Epps, and a few rotational players — were limited but present. No new red flags. No panic buttons. Just standard playoff-week maintenance.

Bottom line: the Eagles are fresh, rested, and as close to full strength as you can realistically expect in January.

Eagles Depth vs. 49ers Damage Control

Philadelphia’s IR list looks scary at a glance, but most of the names on it aren’t affecting the playoff rotation.

Guys like Johnny Wilson, Ben VanSumeren, and Ogbo Okoronkwo are done for the year, but none were expected to be meaningful contributors in this matchup. The same goes for Willie Lampkin and Myles Hinton, whose practice windows expired without returning to action.

This is important context: the Eagles aren’t just healthy — they’re healthy where it matters.

49ers Injury Report: Defensive Attrition Everywhere

Now, the other side.

San Francisco’s injury situation is objectively bad, especially on defense — and borderline alarming at linebacker.

Start up front: Trent Williams, their best offensive lineman by a mile, did not practice Wednesday with a lingering hamstring injury. He’s expected to play, but anyone who’s watched football for more than five minutes knows hamstrings don’t magically heal in January.

At wide receiver, Ricky Pearsall, arguably their best deep threat, missed Week 18 and didn’t practice. That’s not ideal when you’re heading into a hostile road playoff game.

But the real problems are at linebacker.

Eagles Advantage: A Decimated Linebacker Group in San Francisco

The 49ers are already without Fred Warner, who’s been out since Week 6 and won’t return for the postseason. That alone is a massive loss.

It gets worse.

Warner’s replacement, Tatum Bethune, tore his groin in Week 18 and is done for the season. Dee Winters, who played the second-most snaps on the team in 2025 and recorded over 100 tackles, did not practice with an ankle injury. Luke Gifford, a Pro Bowl special teamer who also played real defensive snaps, was limited.

That leaves San Francisco leaning heavily on 33-year-old Eric Kendricks, who has appeared in just three games this season.

Is Kendricks a professional football player? Sure. Is this the situation you want against a physical Eagles offense in January? Absolutely not.

Season-Ending Losses Still Loom Large

The 49ers are also missing several cornerstone players who would normally tilt this matchup:

• Nick Bosa (ACL) — out after just three games
• Brandon Aiyuk — season over and no longer with the team
• Mykel Williams — top-11 draft pick lost to an ACL tear
• Ben Bartch — key interior offensive line depth unavailable

That’s not “bad luck.” That’s structural damage.

Final Take: Eagles Enter Sunday With a Clear Health Edge

The Eagles head into Wild Card Weekend with momentum where it matters most: health, depth, and freshness. The 49ers limp into Philadelphia with major holes at linebacker, a compromised offensive line, and multiple impact defenders watching in street clothes.

In the playoffs, talent matters. Coaching matters. Matchups matter.

But availability matters most.

And right now, the Eagles have it — while the 49ers are duct-taping the middle of their defense and hoping for the best.

Not a great plan when you’re coming to Philly.