PHILADELPHIA (973espn.com) - Receiver Jordan Matthews returned to practice Thursday inside the Eagles' practice bubble, a day after being held out due to an ankle injury suffered against Green Bay.

Coach Doug Pederson had already said he expected the team’s top wideout to be fine for the game in Cincinnati on Sunday but Matthews was moving around a bit gingerly in individual drills and was not flashing in and out of cuts with his typical explosion.

Running back Ryan Mathews (knee) missed practice again on Thursday as did right tackle Right tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai, who remains out with a left MCL sprain and is considered “week to week.”

Vaitai’s injury remains the more significant one, so the Eagles are again planning to go with Allen Barbre at right tackle this week, while veteran Stefen Wisniewski fills in at left guard. Right guard Brandon Brooks is back from the illness that made him a late scratch against the Packers and he will send rookie Isaac Seumalo back to the bench.

Mathews, meanwhile, certainly looks in danger of missing his second consecutive game after tweaking the knee against Seattle in Week 11. If he can’t go against the Bengals that means Darren Sproles and  rookie Wendell Smallwood will likely carry the load in the backfield.

-John McMullen covers the Eagles and the NFL for 973espn.com. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen

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