Getty The Philadelphia Eagles are being encouraged to add RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire on a bargain deal to add depth behind Saquon Barkley.
Running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire is still available in free agency, and the Philadelphia Eagles are one team being urged to consider adding him.
Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report listed Edwards-Helaire as a top available free agent the Eagles should pursue, and as the first rounds of free agency are in the books, the veteran RB should be an affordable addition.
“As the focus of the NFL calendar starts to shift from free agency to the draft, there are a still a few moves out there that the Eagles could consider making. That includes free agents who might be willing to sign for bargain prices with the hope of improving their stock on a contender next season,” Ballentine wrote on March 20.
The Eagles do have some questions at RB2 behind Saquon Barkley, one of the team’s most high-profile free agency signings. Could CEH be the answer?
Eagles Could Use More Depth at Running Back
𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧: #Eagles have shown interest in Troy RB Kimani Vidal, per @TonyPauline
2023:
297 CAR, 1,661 YDS, 14 TDS
Philadelphia could be looking to add more depth to their running back room as they have still yet to resign RB Boston Scott.
There’s no doubt Barkley will be the dominant ball carrier in Philly, as the Eagles inked him to a contract worth $12.6 million annually. But Saquon’s injury history is reason enough to add some solid depth behind him. He has missed eight games over the last three seasons, and prior to that, Barkley dealt with a torn ACL during his 2020 campaign.
“The headline signing for the Eagles was Saquon Barkley. He figures to be the featured back, but there’s definitely room for at least one more runner in the backfield. As it stands, the Eagles have not brought back Boston Scott or Rashaad Penny,” Ballentine noted, adding: ”That leaves Kenneth Gainwell as the primary backup to Barkley. Given the former Giants injury history, the Eagles should feel the need to add some depth.”
While Philly could bring Scott or Penny back (Scott is the likelier of the two), adding another back, either via the draft or in free agency, is probably going to happen.
Gainwell, 25, had 84 rushes for 364 yards (4.3 yards per carry) and two touchdowns in 16 games last season. He has never gained more yardage on the ground than that in any of his three seasons.
Tony Pauline of Sportskeedia reported Philly has been eyeing running back Kimani Vidal out of Troy, so he’s one name to watch in the later rounds of the upcoming draft.
Would RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire Be Good Fit for the Philadelphia Eagles?
Clyde Edwards-Helaire : 13 carries for 37 yards; 4 catches for 64 yards & a TD (Season-high 101 yards from scrimmage)
Edwards-Helaire has served as Isiah Pacheco’s backup in Kansas City over the last two seasons. A first-round pick for the Chiefs out of LSU in 2020 (No. 32 overall), he’s still just 25 and has been part of two Super Bowl winning squads in Kansas City.
At 5’7″ and 205 pounds, Edwards-Helaire isn’t huge, but he has fast feet and solid instincts as a runner. He hasn’t yet lived up to his first-round pedigree, but he’s still capable of making game-changing plays.
The veteran RB had his best season as a rookie in 2020. He finished with 181 carries for 803 yards (4.4 yards per carry) and four touchdowns.
A knee injury limited him to 10 games in 2021, and an ankle issue in 2022 resulted in him getting passed up on the depth chart by Pacheco. Last year, in 15 games, Edwards-Helaire had 70 carries for 223 yards (3.2 YPC) and a touchdown. All were career lows, but when healthy, he’s capable of better production.
He shouldn’t command much more than $1.5 million per year, so he won’t break the bank. We’ll know soon enough if the Eagles have any interest.