You may recall how early in the free agency period it was reported that Ryan Mathews would sign with the Eagles. It sounded like a great boost to his fantasy value, which would later be tempered by Philadelphia signing DeMarco Murray.
When that happened, some thought Mathews would sign elsewhere; why would a potential starter sign to back up the league rushing champion?
But now there's a report indicating Mathews might be in line for more carries than just backup work. “They’re two guys that have been starters in places that they’ve been and they’re going to come here and kind of share the role," said offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur. "I think that’s terrific that that’s their mindset. It shows us that you’ve got really, really fine players that understand it’s important to be a good teammate."
We'll see. The Eagles should have a great ground game and there might be enough carries to go around, but Murray won't want to come off the field very often any more than Mathews figures to want to be a simple handcuff. Neither of course figures to play much in passing situations, with Darren Sproles on the roster for that third-down role.
It's early June and talk is cheap right now, but it's a report to file away in the back of your mind. When you're contemplating using that high pick on Murray, don't forget that Shurmur implied a committee back in the preseason.
--Andy Richardson
