Getty Devonta Freeman #24 of the Atlanta Falcons.
The Eagles have been flirting with a two-time Pro Bowler all summer. It might be time to marry that star running back.
According to ESPN’s Field Yates, the Eagles are bringing Devonta Freeman in for a workout and the veteran rusher is officially “on their radar.” The report should come as no surprise to anyone following the football team in Philadelphia. Their off-and-on flirtations with Freeman have resembled a daytime soap opera since late May but the veteran wanted around $6 million to sign. That number was well above the $1 million limit set by GM Howie Roseman.
The Eagles will be hosting RB Devonta Freeman for a workout. The veteran RB is officially on their radar.
Following an embarrassing season-opening loss to Washington, the landscape seemingly has changed. Miles Sanders has been banged up since mid-August with a lingering hamstring issue. The second-year back will suit up on Sunday and plans to play with no limitations. However, hamstrings are tricky injuries in the NFL and Freeman would be the ultimate insurance policy. He led the entire NFL in rushing touchdowns (11) in 2015 and enjoyed back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons in 2015 and 2016. He has 3,972 rushing yards in six productive NFL seasons, all in Atlanta.
The other reason the 28-year-old might appeal to Philly is due to the poor performance of Eagles backups Boston Scott and Corey Clement in Week 1. The duo combined for 54 rushing yards — 35 for Scott, 19 for Clement — while garnering scathing criticism for not picking up blitzes in pass protection.
#Eagles HC Doug Pederson says blitzes aren’t always on offensive line. Watch the tape. Some of it is on the RBs, the TEs, maybe QB. You really have to be careful with assigning blame. “The mistakes we made in protections last week … everyone had a hand in that.” #FlyEaglesFly
Head coach Doug Pederson never called either one out by name but the implication was there. They missed key assignments and caused quarterback Carson Wentz to get knocked around.
“Some of it is on the quarterback. Some of it is on the running backs. Tight ends are in protection,” Pederson told reporters on Friday while defending his offensive line. “So you know, the mistakes we made in the protection last week were a little bit of everybody. It was the backs, the receivers, the tight ends and the quarterback. Everybody had a hand in not only sacks, but the protection, as well.”
Is Freeman a good pass-blocker? Well, the scouting report on him coming out of Florida State seemed to indicate that he was. Give it a read, via Bleacher Report:
Freeman is a jack of all trades, master-of-none type running back. He is a great all-around value for a team like Atlanta which will use multiple running backs in the same formation. He profiles well as a pass-blocker, a pure rusher and a receiver out of the backfield.
As a pass-blocker, Freeman’s technique is downright awful. However, he’s more than willing to get into people’s faces and knock around blitzing linebackers. He’s fearless no matter who comes in to attack his quarterback, whether it’s a massive end he’s chipping or a linebacker coming off the edge.
Once, Devonta Freeman apologized to Jimbo Fisher for not picking up a block at practice, “He just cared so much.”
http://t.co/kvwhuVCB46
Then again, Freeman missed arguably the biggest block of Super Bowl LI when the Patriots’ Dont’a Hightower strip-sacked Matt Ryan. Freeman flat-out missed him and got his quarterback killed. The Patriots beat the Falcons, 38-24, in overtime.
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Eagles Hosting Former NFL Rushing TD Leader for Workout: Report