Tight end Zach Ertz and cornerback Leodis McKelvin are out for the Eagles’ game against the Bears Monday night in Chicago, head coach Doug Pederson said before practice Saturday.
Ertz suffered a displaced rib and McKelvin a hamstring injury during the Eagles’ opening-day win over the Browns at the Linc.
Everyone else on the 53-man roster is available to play, Pederson said.
Pederson said the Eagles won’t make a roster move at cornerback, even though the only healthy full-time corners on the roster going into Chicago are starter Nolan Carroll, plus former Bill Ron Brooks and rookie seventh-round pick Jalen Mills.
Undrafted rookie C.J. Smith, who had a good preseason, is on the practice squad.
“We feel comfortable with where we’re at right now,” he said. “Obviously with the addition of (Terrence) Brooks at safety and the ability to shuffle some guys around back there and move some guys who’ve played some nickel spots before, I’m comfortable with where we are.”
Pederson said Brooks will start opposite Carroll, with Mills coming in when the Eagles go to nickel or dime and playing outside, with Brooks swinging inside.
The Bears, 0-1 and 3-13 at home over the past two years, have a potentially high-powered passing attack with Jay Cutler at quarterback and Alshon Jeffrey and Kevin White at receiver.
Brooks has four career starts, and Mills has none.
Pederson said he has no regrets about the team unloading Eric Rowe, the 2015 second-round pick that started five games last year. The Eagles traded Rowe to the Patriots just before the season began.
“Not at all, not at all,” he said. “You can’t look back on prior decisions. You’re not going to second guess. We’re comfortable with the guys we have. We have a great group back there and they’ll get the job done.”
The Eagles will go with veteran Brent Celek and former undrafted free agent Trey Burton at tight end with Ertz out.
This will be only the second game Ertz has missed in his four NFL seasons. He ranks fifth among all NFL tight ends in catches since opening day 2014.
With a bye in Week 4, the Steelers game a week from Sunday will be the Eagles’ last game until Oct. 9.
Pederson said he doesn’t have a sense whether Ertz or McKelvin will be available for Pittsburgh or be out until after the bye.
“Not right now,” he said. “It’s just a week-to-week deal. Both of those guys are feeling better and we’ll monitor them and evaluate them next week.”