Philadelphia Eagles Predictions: Eagles RB Group — Pre-Training Camp Edition
The Philadelphia Eagles are a few months away from starting Training Camp and we are in what is known as “The Dead Zone” of football, but that got me thinking about this Eagles roster. One really interesting position group is the Running Back group.
It was only a few short years ago that the Eagles had one of the worst RB groups in the entire National Football League. The roster bolstered names like Ryan Mathews (side note: I hurt my hand typing his name), the train-wreck that was DeMarco Murray and yes, even the Philly Legend himself, Frank Gore. Long gone were the days of Brian Westbrook and Shady McCoy (I will never forgive Charles Kelly for trading McCoy) yet now this team is a Super Bowl Champion squad that has one of the NFL’s best Rushing Offenses.
Taking a look at the upcoming season, I wanted to make a prediction on a loaded Running Back group, before Training Camp starts. I will re-evaluate during and after Training Camp. While my 4th choice will likely draw attention, I believe the Eagles will keep 4 Running Backs on this year’s game day roster: Jay Ajayi, Corey Clement, Darren Sproles and Donnel Pumphrey. I also expect UDFA Rookie Josh Adams to make the Practice Squad.
* At the bottom of this post I have a Twitter header that I have created for each player in this post. Right click on them and save for use as a Twitter header. The Eagles Hub has your back.
Jay Ajayi
83.3 Overall — Above Average (PFF Rating)
Jay Ajayi was a mid-season pickup for the Philadelphia Eagles. This was one of the moves that blew fans away, but Howie Roseman has proven himself to be quite the ‘Executive Vice President of Football Operations’ these days. He has worked wonders with a strapped cap situation and has been critical in building the culture of trust and family within the organization.
Ajayi now has the RB1 fully to himself. LeGarrette Bount has moved on to the Detroit Lions and Ajayi has full control of his time in Philadelphia. I fully expect Jay to continue his upward progression and earn himself a shot at a longer contract with the Eagles.
Pro Football Focus had Ajayi rated with an 86.0 (High Quality) run rating during his time with Philadelphia last season. To put that in perspective, that ranked him as the #4 Running Back ahead of guys like Todd Gurley and Alvin Kamara. No question that the ‘Jay Train’ keeps rolling in Philadelphia.
Corey Clement
75.2 Overall — Average (PFF Rating)
Corey Clement had a very unexpected Rookie season for the Philadelphia Eagles. I don’t think anyone expected the Undrafted Free Agent Rookie to become one of the heroes of the Eagles Super Bowl run, but he showed up when it counted and was a major player when needed.
I don’t see any way that Clement is not on this Eagles roster come the beginning of the season. Is he the biggest? No. Is he the fastest? No. Corey Clement is a middle-of-the-road grinder, and thats not a negative statement. Last season Clement proved that he can make the best with his skill set and the Eagles Coaches have shown they know how to use him. Two of the Eagles biggest Touchdown catches of the year came from Clement and I expect he gets better with an increase in workload this year.
Darren Sproles
54.3 Overall — Poor (PFF Rating)*injured season
Darren Sproles has been one of the only great things that Charles Kelly brought to Philadelphia. ‘Might Mouse’ as he is called has been exactly what the Eagles needed and this franchise has been really good to him. Sproles finished his original contract on an injured year, a year in which he planned to retire at the end of the season…
Nothing says “we appreciate you and want you to have the final season you deserve” more than signing Sproles to a ~1.4 million dollar contract, when the team is already loaded at Running Back. This signing alone tells me that there is no way that Sproles (barring injury) doesn’t make this roster.
Donnel Pumphrey
No Grade *IR
I might catch some early hate for this pick, but if there is one guy I trust to evaluate talent in the NFL, its Joe Douglas and he loved Pumphrey coming out of college.
The reason I think Pumphrey makes the roster in this Pre-Training-Camp post is that I believe the Eagles see him as a Darren Sproles replacement. Sproles was already planning to retire after last season (before he got his injuries) and the Eagles want to keep their Running Back-by-Committee approach. A quick/shifty Running Back is a key member of any Running Back committee.
Keeping Donnel on this active roster gives you a backup in the worst case scenario that Sproles goes down again, but also lets him learn behind one of the feistiest Running Backs to ever play the Running Back position. Not only that, but I believe he could be a serviceable Punt Returner and/or Kick Returner for this team.
So far it looks as though the added time in the gym has allowed Pumphrey to add weight (up to ~185lbs from 175lbs) with his eyes on making it to 190lbs. If he can make that weight and keep all his speed, this will be a player to watch throughout Training Camp.
