Four-time Pro Bowl selection Jamaal Charles signed with Broncos on Tuesday, which was a real kick in the teeth for Eagles fans worried about the state of the backfield. Charles was limited to eight games over the last two seasons by knee injuries, but did spend three seasons with Eagles coach Doug Pederson in Kansas City and would be a perfect fit for the offense.
Charles' sudden removal from the equation doesn't change the likelihood that the Eagles need a running back. Ryan Mathews has a neck injury, and it's widely speculated he will ultimately get released. Wendell Smallwood is coming off of a significant injury as well, and carried the ball just 77 times as a rookie. Darren Sproles isn't an every-down back, and the only back the Eagles were able to net in the draft was Donnel Pumphrey, a potential Sproles clone.
It's safe to say the Eagles could use a veteran back, if for no other reason than to add some competition into the mix. Of course, money is an issue, with the Eagles an estimated $1.63 million under the salary cap. It doesn't help that it's May, either, and with Charles and Adrian Peterson both coming off the market in recent weeks, there simply isn't much talent remaining in free agency.
Still, there's always a running back somewhere in the NFL, if you know where to look. In fact, there are 10 free agents who might interest the Eagles on some level -- though whether any of the 10 is a good option is certainly open for debate.
LeGarrette Blount
Age: 31*
Undeniably the best running back left on the market based on 2016, Blount doesn't seem like a great fit for the Eagles. At 6-foot-0, 250 pounds, he fills the niche for a power runner, and with a league-leading 18 touchdowns for the Patriots last season, instantly improves any offense at the goal line. However, with only 46 receptions over seven seasons, Blount is far too one-dimensional for the West Coast offense. He may be too expensive for the cap-strapped Eagles as well.
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DeAngelo Williams
Age: 34*
Williams surprised everybody in 2015 -- even the Steelers -- rushing for 907 yards and 11 touchdowns at the age of 32. He also posted career highs in receptions (40) and receiving yards (367). With Le'Veon Bell finally healthy, Williams didn't have near the same opportunities last season. He's also two years older now and underwent knee surgery in November. Williams didn't sound too keen on joining the Eagles back in February, either, although that was before he was out of work for three months.
Chris Johnson
Age: 32*
Johnson was one of the most durable backs in the NFL during his first eight seasons in the league, but landed on injured reserve after four games in 2016 with a groin injury. With the emergence of David Johnson in Arizona, Johnson's role was about to shrink dramatically anyway. Nobody is under the illusion the Eagles would be getting the CJ2K of old, but Johnson did rush for 814 yards in 11 games for the Cardinals one season earlier. It's not the worst idea.
Rashad Jennings
Age: 32*
Jennings seems to have put off his job search in lieu of his appearance on Dancing with the Stars, which is going incredibly well, by the way -- much better than his final season with the Giants. At 6-1, 231 pounds, Jennings is the rare big back who can catch passes out of the backfield. However, after he was limited to 3.3 yards per carry in 2016 and subsequently released, it's fair to wonder what Jennings has left in the tank, or whether he even plans on returning to football.
Christine Michael
Age: 27*
Michael eclipsed his totals from the first three seasons of his career in nine games with the Seahawks in 2016 with 469 yards rushing and 6 touchdowns. Yet, after finally making some headway on the depth chart, he was released mid-season, then picked up by the Packers, where he saw minimal action in a depleted backfield. Green Bay released Michael again on Monday, and after playing for five teams in four years -- including two separate stints in Seattle -- there's no reason a team should pin their hopes on the guy. He's not an effective receiver out of the backfield, either.
James Starks
Age: 31*
Starks is coming off a disastrous year on and off the football field, culminating with his release after seven seasons with the Packers. The longtime reserve averaged a pitiful 2.3 yards per carry in nine games, missing time with a torn meniscus, then again with a concussion from a car accident. Yet, if healthy and not completely over the hill, Starks is only one season removed from career high production both on the ground (601 yards) and through the air (43 receptions, 392 yards, 3 touchdowns) in 2015.
Denard Robinson
Age: 27*
At one point, Robinson was gunning for a job as the lead running back in Jacksonville, rushing for 582 yards with a 4.3 average and 4 touchdowns in 2014. The opportunity apparently fell by the wayside, as Robinson was used only sparingly in his final season with the Jaguars. Still, the converted Michigan quarterback may make for an intriguing prospect. He's young, can catch the ball out of the backfield, and who's the last running back to thrive in Jacksonville, anyway?
Khiry Robinson
Age: 28*
Robinson has experienced the worst luck imaginable with injuries. A broken tibia sidelined Robinson in his final season with the Saints. He quickly wound up back on the shelf for the Jets, breaking his leg again in the preseason. Robinson managed to return in Week 16, but the leg broke once more, this time in a different place. Sorry to say, but the Eagles probably have too many injured backs already to take a flier on another.
Jonathan Grimes
Age: 28*
Undrafted out of FCS William & Mary in 2012, Grimes eventually caught on with the Texans and has served as a backup ever since. He's been a capable hand, averaging 4.4 yards per carry, and has even caught a few passes out of the backfield. Perhaps the most attractive part for the Eagles is the Palmyra, New Jersey native might be able to move back in with his parents and take advantage of the 20-minute commute to Lincoln Financial Field.
Dexter McCluster
Age: 29*
McCluster actually enjoyed his most productive NFL season when Pederson was the offensive coordinator in Kansas City -- but as a receiver. He joined the Titans the following year, where he got a bit more work out of the backfield, and spent last season with the Chargers, but played sparingly before sustaining a broken forearm. McCluster has experience in the offense, which is a plus, but Pederson may not view him as a running back at all, which would probably defeat the purpose.
*Ages as of 12/31/17
