Pro Football Focus will be providing analysis for every major NFL signing and trade during the 2015 free-agency period, accounting primarily for the quality of the player and his fit with his new team, and focusing less on the financial terms of the deal.
Here is a grade for the deal between DeMarco Murray and the Philadelphia Eagles.
Grade articles on every major deal
Philadelphia Eagles: A
In 2013, the Eagles had the best rushing attack in the league. In 2014, things took a step backward due to injuries on the offensive line, which resulted in LeSean McCoy not being as effective. In 2015, Philadelphia's rushing attack could be better than ever with Murray instead of McCoy.
Part of Murray's success was due to the offensive line in Dallas. On his average carry he wasn't getting contacted until 2.2 yards past the line of scrimmage (seventh in the league), but a bigger part of his success was what he did after contact, as 67 players missed tackles on him (second most in the league, trailing only Marshawn Lynch). That rate of forcing missed tackles was higher than McCoy's rate and led to Murray averaging a respectable 2.5 yards after contact per carry compared to McCoy's 2.1.
Though McCoy may be a shiftier runner, Murray is a consistent force at turning big holes at the point of attack into long gains. He had 27 runs of 15 or more yards in 2014, nine more than any other runner, and he will exploit the blocking the Eagles give him as well if not better than McCoy was able to.
While the Cowboys' O-line is better at pass protection, the Eagles' O-line is better at run blocking. Jason Peters, Evan Mathis, Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson were all among the top six at their respective positions in 2014 in run blocking, despite Mathis, Kelce and Johnson missing time. When you move Murray from the second-best run-blocking line to the best, you're going to get something special.