With LeSean McCoy now jettisoned from the Philadelphia Eagles following a blockbuster trade, head coach Chip Kelly and company find themselves in the market for a running back.
Knowing full well the landscape surrounding this position heading into free agency and the draft, Philadelphia is in prime position to grab a solid combination of value and talent at running back.
Here are five potential candidates to replace McCoy in the Eagles backfield next season.
1. Mark Ingram
We can expect Chip Kelly and company to look for a cheap replacement for McCoy. It’s rather obvious that the brass in Philadelphia believes the scheme plays a larger role in the offense’s success than individual players.
In Ingram, the Eagles would get a running back that’s coming off a stellar year in an otherwise injury-ravaged and unproductive career. The 25-year-old running back put up 1,100 total yards and nine scores in 13 games this past season. It was his highest yardage total by nearly 500 yards since being selected in the first round of the 2011 NFL draft. Teaming Ingram up with a rookie would be a great situation for Philadelphia.
2. Ryan Mathews
At 6’0″ and 220 pounds, Mathews might not necessarily fit Kelly’s scheme. However, his previous production and receiving ability could come in handy here. The 27-year-old running back was averaging about 35 receptions per season prior to an injury-plagued 2014 campaign.
As a bruiser between the tackles, Mathews could work well with either Darren Sproles or a rookie running back with the same running style. And considering Mathews missed eight games due to injury last year, he’s likely going to come on the cheap. It would be a win-win for both sides on a short-term deal. Mathews would be able to prove his worth in a running back-friendly offense, and the Eagles would acquire a high-upside veteran with a proven track record.
3. Shane Vereen
Eagles running backs caught 70 passes last season. This aspect of the game is obviously a major part of what Kelly is building on offense. With Sproles still on the roster, we have no idea what the Eagles are going to do at this position. However, Vereen could act as a young alternative to the veteran Sproles as a complement to another ball carrier the team decides to bring in.
As it relates to Vereen, he has caught 99 passes over the past two seasons. That type of receiving ability would work wonders in the Eagles system. The former second-round pick would also come relatively cheap considering his inability to shoulder the load. In reality, this would be a signing the Eagles might make with the draft in mind. More than anything, Vereen would be utilized to replace Sproles.
4. Justin Forsett
Normally a 29-year-old running back wouldn’t draw a ton of interest on the open market. However, Forsett may very well be an exception to the rule here. With 582 rush attempts under his belt, the former Cal standout has less than two years of on-field rushing experience to his resume. That has to be enticing to teams looking for value on the open market. And considering Kelly is going for value after trading McCoy, this seems to be a reasonable fit.
Forsett put up over 1,500 total yards and eight touchdowns while averaging a ridiculous 5.4 yards per attempt last season. Something to the tune of the four-year, $10 million contract that Rashad Jennings signed with the New York Giants last offseason would make sense here.
5. NFL Draft
This is the likeliest scenario for the Eagles. While they will definitely look to add a veteran in free agency, we can expect the team to look at the bargain bin, especially considering how deep the running back market is.
There’s little doubt that Chip Kelly and company will target a running back somewhat early in the draft. Georgia’s Todd Gurley and Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon are the two potential first-round picks among a deep running back class, but it’s possible Philadelphia looks at lesser options on Day 2. That’s where the likes of Duke Johnson, Ameer Abdullah and Jay Ajayi come into play.
Photo: USA Today