PHILADELPHIA -- This is the second part of our position-by-position look at the Philadelphia Eagles’ roster as the team seeks a new head coach to replace Chip Kelly.
Yesterday, we looked at the offensive line. Today: running backs.
Starters: DeMarco Murray and Ryan Mathews.
Backups: Darren Sproles and Kenjon Barner.
Practice squad: Kevin Monangai.
State of the squad: This is one of the more puzzling areas of the team to figure out. Kelly completely turned over the running backs just two seasons after the Eagles’ LeSean McCoy led the NFL in rushing.
In 2014, McCoy, Chris Polk and Bryce Brown averaged 5.0 yards per carry. In 2015, Murray, Mathews, Sproles and Barner averaged 4.1 yards per carry. Other factors -- the offensive line, the situation in games -- affect a team’s rushing average, but that’s still an obvious step back after all of Kelly’s moves.
Sproles was acquired in a 2014 trade. After McCoy was traded to Buffalo, the Eagles signed Murray and Mathews as free agents. Barner, who played for Kelly at Oregon, made the roster as the fourth running back.
Murray got off to a rough start and was eventually benched in early December. He likely will benefit from playing in a different offensive system, as well as from his decreased workload in 2015.
Mathews’ production dropped over the course of the season. He didn’t look as explosive as he did earlier in the season, especially when contrasted with Murray.
It turns out Mathews had a core muscle tear, as ESPN’s Adam Caplan reported. Mathews had surgery to repair the injury after the season was over. He should be healthy in time for OTAs.
A new coach will have to decide whether Sproles, at age 33, is worth the $4.5 million salary-cap hit he represents in the final year of his contract. Sproles was still effective last season, on offense as well as on special teams. He returned two punts for touchdowns, both in Eagles victories.
The cap situation will affect all of the Eagles’ decisions at running back, of course. Murray counts $8 million against the cap in 2016, while there would be $13 million in dead money if he is released. Mathews’ cap number is $4 million.
The next head coach is likely to find ways to utilize Murray and Mathews, at least for 2016.
Barner played in 10 games. He carried the ball 28 times for 124 yards.