Eagles add Gilyard to ailing WR corps, cut Jarrett
The Eagles took a calculated gamble earlier this month when they opted to keep just five wide receivers on their 53-man roster, including injured Riley Cooper.
Cooper is recovering from a broken collarbone suffered in training camp. He missed Sunday's season-opening 17-16 win over the Cleveland Browns and already has been scratched from this week's game against the Baltimore Ravens.
That still left the Eagles with four wideouts. Only problem is one of them -- starter Jeremy Maclin -- also might not be able to play against the Ravens.
The Eagles acted Tuesday, signing Mardy Gilyard and releasing safety Jaiquawn Jarrett, a second-round pick in 2011.
Maclin suffered a hip flexor strain in the Browns game. And while he managed to play with it and even led the Eagles in receiving with seven catches for 96 yards and a touchdown, it's not clear whether he'll be able to play this week.
"We'll see how it works the next couple of days here," head coach Andy Reid said. "As you know with hip pointers, those things hurt you a lot more the next couple of days (after the injury) than they do when they actually happen. But he battled through it. You have to give him credit for that. He battled through it and got himself through the game, but he's awful tender today."
If Maclin can't play Sunday, starter DeSean Jackson, slot receiver Jason Avant, and 5-8 rookie Damaris Johnson are the other options in addition to Gilyard. However, Avant (wrist contusion) isn't certain to be available for Sunday's game, either.
Gilyard was a fourth-round pick in 2010 (99th overall) with the Rams.
The former Cincinnati receiver was second to Johnson in receiving in the 2012 preseason with nine receptions for 151 yards and two touchdowns, including a 44-yard bomb. That work came mostly working with No. 2 quarterback Nick Foles and veteran Trent Edwards. Gilyard was waived on Aug. 31, when the Eagles trimmed the roster to a final 53-man squad.
The Eagles also have two wide receivers on their practice squad -- Marvin McNutt and B.J. Cunningham. McNutt was the team's sixth-round draft pick.
