Eagles Notes: Eagles’ Maclin misses practice, Hall signed from practice squad [The Philadelphia Inquirer]

Nov. 17--Shortly after Andy Reid announced that Jeremy Maclin would miss Wednesday's practice, the Eagles announced that Chad Hall was signed off the practice squad.

Just because both are receivers it shouldn't be assumed that Maclin, who has both a shoulder strain and a hamstring strain, won't be ready for Sunday's game against the New York Giants, although Maclin's availability is in question.

But it was likely a move made for insurance and one made to improve the Eagles' return game.

"That's something I do, so [returning] is definitely a possibility," said Hall, who spent the first 10 weeks on the practice squad.

Hall played in eight games last season, starting in one. He caught eight passes for 115 yards and ran for 29 yards total on the ground. He also had several returns.

Dion Lewis has handled kick- return duties for most of the season, but the rookie is near the bottom of the league in yards per return. The Eagles tried Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie there on Sunday against the Cardinals, but the cornerback suffered a high-ankle sprain on his second try.

DeSean Jackson has taken most of the punt returns this season, but his 3.7-yard average is well below his career mark. Maclin and Steve Smith filled in for Jackson on Sunday, after he was deactivated for being late to a meeting, but both didn't fare well.

Jackson, who watched Sunday's game from home, was back practicing on Wednesday.

If Maclin can't return in time for the Giants, Smith is likely to start in his place as he did for Jackson on Sunday. Smith caught five passes for 47 yards, but he made a few bad plays. For instance, on a third-and-20 play in the fourth Smith appeared to have a first down, but he plopped to the ground short of the stick instead.

"I thought I had the first down," Smith said. "It was just a bonehead play."

To make room on the 53-man roster for Hall, the Eagles released safety Jarrad Page. After starting the first five games of the season, Page was benched and did not dress for the next four games.

The return of Nate Allen, who missed Sunday's game against the Cardinals with a concussion, made Page expendable. Allen will return to his starting safety spot alongside Kurt Coleman, and rookie Jaiquawn Jarrett will go back to being the first reserve.

Other injury notes

With Rodgers-Cromartie likely out for Sunday's game, Joselio Hanson confirmed that he will step into his nickel cornerback role. Hanson was the Eagles' fifth cornerback for four seasons before Rodgers-Cromartie joined the team.

Guard Evan Mathis returned to practice after missing a game with a turf toe injury. The starting left guard participated fully, but he said before practice that he wasn't sure if he'd be ready for the Giants.

King Dunlap filled in for Mathis against the Cardinals, but he suffered a concussion at some point during the game. He did not practice Wednesday. If Mathis and Dunlap can't play Sunday, Jamaal Jackson and Julian Vandervelde would be options.

The Eagles could start Jackson at center, if that were the case, and move starter Jason Kelce to left guard.

Extra points

Reid was asked to respond to comments Jackson made to the NFL Network that he couldn't recall if the coach ever benched a player for being late to a meeting. "I'm not even going there," Reid said. "I'm going to keep my side of it with the player. That's how I operate." . . . LeSean McCoy spoke a little about his on-again, off-again relationship with Drew Rosenhaus, whom he retained as an agent over the weekend after firing him days earlier for the second time in about a month. "I feel like I'm a good player, and I know he's a good agent," McCoy said. "Why not team up and keep it like that?"

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