Running back DeMarco Murray bet on himself to earn a nice little paycheck in a market that has not been kind to running backs in recent years.
It’s a bet that Murray has clearly won. According to ESPN insiders Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen, the reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year inked a five-year, $42 million contract with $21 million guaranteed with the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday.
DeMarco Murray's deal with Eagles is expected to be 5 years, $42 million, including $21 million guaranteed, per @mortreport and I.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 12, 2015
These details are about as stunning as anything that’s happened during a crazy week around the NFL.
Considering that Eagles head coach Chip Kelly went on record on Wednesday indicating that the trade of LeSean McCoy to the Buffalo Bills was financially motivated, it’s rather alarming that he would be willing to pay Murray a deal that averages out to $8.4 million per season—the fifth-highest figure among running backs in today’s NFL. A figure that ranks Murray ahead of the $8 million McCoy is earning under his new deal with Buffalo.
Murray may have put up a league-high 2,261 total yards from the running back position last year, but some tend to think that’s more a product of the Cowboys offensive line, which was one of the best run-blocking units in the NFL last year.
Either way, Philadelphia now has an average annual salary of $25 million committed to its backfield tandem of Murray and newly acquired Sam Bradford. That’s a whole heck of a lot of money for two players that have had their fair share of past injuries.
Photo: USA Today