The Eagles’ operating again rotation obtained considerably clearer on Tuesday.
After coming into the offseason with only one operating again beneath contract, the Eagles agreed to phrases with free agent Rashaad Penny and veteran Boston Scott, based on league sources.
The phrases of Penny’s deal, which may’t be made official till the brand new league yr begins Wednesday afternoon, are unknown. Scott, in the meantime, will reportedly make roughly $2 million on a one-year contract.
In Penny, the Eagles are making an upside play. The Seattle Seahawks chosen the previous San Diego State standout within the first spherical of the 2018 NFL draft, however accidents have stored him from realizing his potential.
That stated, Penny has proven flashes of elite play, albeit in brief spurts with two important accidents blended in between. He notably ran for 129 yards on 14 carries in opposition to the Eagles in 2019, which was the perfect recreation of his profession to that time. A couple of weeks later, he tore his ACL and wasn’t fairly the identical participant for roughly two years.
He discovered his footing in December 2021, speeding for 100-plus yards in three straight video games to complete the yr, together with a 190-yard efficiency in opposition to the Arizona Cardinals within the remaining recreation of the common season. Final yr, Penny performed 5 video games earlier than struggling a season-ending leg harm, logging 57 carries for 346 yards and two touchdowns.
Penny’s operating type is finest outlined by his skill to run by means of arm tackles and break off explosive rushes with home-run pace. He has been close to the highest of the league in common yards after first contact every of the final two seasons, based on Professional Soccer Focus. He ran a 4.46-second 40-yard sprint in 2018 and has been top-five in breakaway proportion, which measures how typically a runner good points 15 yards or extra, every of the final two seasons as nicely.
Penny’s productiveness will largely depend upon his well being going into this season. He’s coming off a damaged tibula and ankle harm that required surgical procedure, though Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll stated he was anticipated to make a full restoration shortly after the crew introduced the harm.
“He’s been by means of such a protracted haul, it’s actually only a heartbreaking loss for him,” Carroll stated on an area radio present final yr. “He’s been doing nice and everyone can see it, and we’ve been so excited for him. He’s going to overlook the remainder of this yr. He’ll come again, he’ll be capable of play once more and all of that. It’s a extremely clear surgical procedure course of and all of that, but it surely simply does take a very long time.”
Scott figures to renew his position as a return specialist and reserve operating again. The 27-year-old has spent 5 seasons with the Eagles and has change into a veteran presence with the crew. He had 54 carries for 217 yards and three touchdowns final season.
With Penny and Scott within the fold and third-year operating again Kenneth Gainwell flourishing in the course of the Eagles’ playoff run, Tuesday’s offers seemingly sign the top for Miles Sanders’ tenure with the Eagles.
The previous second-round choose led the group in carries final season, speeding for 1,269 yards and 12 touchdowns on 259 makes an attempt. Sanders thanked Eagles followers for his or her assist in a social media submit shortly after Penny’s deal was reported, additional suggesting the previous Penn State standout shall be signing elsewhere after 4 years with the crew.
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Gainwell began consuming into Sanders’ share of touches in the course of the playoffs and capitalized on the additional carries sufficient to counsel he’ll be a much bigger a part of the rotation subsequent yr. The 2021 fifth-round choose ran for 181 yards and a landing within the Eagles’ three playoff video games.
That stated, the Eagles might nonetheless stand so as to add one other again later in free company or within the draft to fill out the committee, which at the moment lacks a transparent frontrunner for a featured position. This yr’s class of operating again prospects is taken into account one of many deepest in current reminiscence.
