It sounds crazy on the surface. It’s also a representation of how running backs are viewed in today’s NFL.
Rumors continue to persist that the Philadelphia Eagles are going to ask running back LeSean McCoy to take a pay cut or face the real possibility of being released prior to the start of free agency on March 10th.
Considering that the 26-year-old McCoy has put up over 9,000 total yards and 54 touchdowns in six seasons, it seems logical that Philadelphia would keep him in the plans no matter what. After all, this is a guy that has over 3,600 total yards in two seasons under innovative offensive mind Chip Kelly.
The issue here is that McCoy is set to count nearly $12 million against the cap, and Philadelphia could save $7.5 million by releasing him. By the way, that cap figure is the second largest for a running back in the NFL behind Adrian Peterson’s $15.4 million tag—a number that won’t remain the same in 2015.
So if Peterson does end up reworking his deal with the Vikings or another team, that would make McCoy the most-expensive running back in the NFL. That would also make him vastly overpaid for Kelly’s scheme, which is better than most at integrating talent to fit the offense.
Interestingly, McCoy has previously indicated that he’s not willing to take a pay cut (via Philly.com).
I know how hard it is to keep a team together and I want to be part of this team. But I don’t want to take less money,” McCoy said. “I want to figure a way to make it happen [where] we’re all together.
That poses another problem. While McCoy did say that he’s open to a restructure, he wants his contract value to remain the same. Including 2015, the former second-round pick is set to count about $39 million against the cap over the next three seasons. A restructure would require Philadelphia to either push back the bulk of the 2015 deal to the next two seasons or extend McCoy past his 30th birthday. If the latter ended up coming to fruition, the team could put itself in an unsustainable cap situation for a running back on the wrong end of 30.
Courtesy of USA Today: Philadelphia could look to get younger and go cheaper with someone like Miami’s Duke Johnson.
There’s little doubt that McCoy has the talent to continue putting up ridiculous numbers in the Eagles’ offense. But so would someone like Miami’s Duke Johnson, who could be had on Day 2 of the upcoming NFL draft for about seven percent of McCoy’s 2015 cap hit.
The other important aspect of this situation is what Philadelphia is slated to pay McCoy’s backups in 2015. Darren Sproles is set to count $4.1 million against the cap next season with Chris Polk potentially set to receive an offer of nearly $2 million on the restricted free-agent market.
No team in the NFL wants to pay that type of money to its running back group. That’s only magnified in Kelly’s fast-paced offense which utilizes running back talent better than any other scheme in the league. Not to say that running backs are a dime a dozen here, but it’s close to that reality.
Philadelphia could also attempt to trade McCoy as part of the process to move up for Marcus Mariota in the draft. And if the Pro Bowl running back is willing to restructure, a team like the Jacksonville Jaguars or Oakland Raiders might show interest.
In the end, the idea of cutting someone of McCoy’s caliber seems utterly ridiculous. That is until you delve further into the situation and understand the climate for running backs in today’s NFL.
There’s a decent chance McCoy is shown the door between now and the start of the new league year. That’s the harsh reality of the business of football.
Photo: USA Today