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Jay Ajayi

Likely to be disappointed in hope to be workhorse

Jay Ajayi is getting a fresh start in Eagles camp this year, after joining the team in mideseason a year ago. He's looking forward to being "the guy," in the Eagles backfield, according to a story at philly.com. The history of Doug Pederson's offense in Philadelphia is that he's probably going to be disappointed.

"I’m excited to get into that lead role, do what’s needed of me and just go bull," he says. "Excited to kind of showcase again to the world what I can do.”

Back in 2016 with the Dolphins, Ajayi was "the guy." He had 64 percent of the team's rushing attempts, which is the 9th-highest percentage by any running back over the last two years.

But he's joining a team that hasn't had that in either of the last two seasons. Two years in a row, Philadelphia is one of the few teams that hasn't had a single running back get more than 37 percent of the carries.

RUNNING BACK, PERCENT OF TEAM (2016-2017)
YearPlayerPctAttPctYdsPctTD
2016Todd Gurley, L.A.74%71%67%
2017LeVeon Bell, Pitt.73%77%75%
2016David Johnson, Ariz.73%72%80%
2017Melvin Gordon, LAC68%69%80%
2017Kareem Hunt, K.C.67%70%67%
2016Jordan Howard, Chi.66%76%60%
2017Jordan Howard, Chi.65%63%69%
2016Ezekiel Elliott, Dall.65%68%63%
2016Jay Ajayi, Mia.64%70%57%
2016Frank Gore, Ind.64%63%31%
2016Melvin Gordon, S.D.64%66%100%
2016LeVeon Bell, Pitt.64%72%54%
2016LeGarrette Blount, N.E.62%62%95%
2016DeMarco Murray, Tenn.62%59%56%
2017Todd Gurley, LAR61%67%76%
2017LeSean McCoy, Buff.59%56%50%
2017Carlos Hyde, S.F.59%56%53%
2016Lamar Miller, Hou.59%58%63%
2017Frank Gore, Ind.58%58%27%
2016Isaiah Crowell, Clev.57%56%54%
2017Marshawn Lynch, Oak.56%57%54%
2016Devonta Freeman, Atl.54%56%55%
2017Isaiah Crowell, Clev.54%50%18%
2017C.J. Anderson, Den.54%54%38%
2017Lamar Miller, Hou.53%48%38%
2016Terrance West, Balt.53%53%50%
2016Matt Forte, NYJ52%45%70%
2016Spencer Ware, K.C.52%53%20%
2017Mark Ingram, N.O.52%54%52%
2017Leonard Fournette, Jac.51%46%50%
2016Mark Ingram, N.O.51%60%35%
2017Ezekiel Elliott, Dall.50%45%39%
2016Jeremy Hill, Cin.50%47%53%
2016Jonathan Stewart, Car.48%45%56%
2016LeSean McCoy, Buff.48%48%45%
2016Carlos Hyde, S.F.47%49%40%
2017Joe Mixon, Cin.47%46%67%
2017Alex Collins, Balt.46%52%43%
2017Devonta Freeman, Atl.46%47%58%
2016Rashad Jennings, NYG45%42%50%
2017Ameer Abdullah, Det.45%45%40%
2016Latavius Murray, Oak.45%41%71%
2016Robert Kelley, Wash.44%42%35%
2017Samaje Perine, Wash.44%42%10%
2017Orleans Darkwa, NYG43%48%83%
2017Latavius Murray, Minn.43%43%53%
2016Devontae Booker, Den.42%41%36%
2016Jerick McKinnon, Minn.42%45%22%
2017Bilal Powell, NYJ42%45%38%
2017DeMarco Murray, Tenn.42%36%33%
2017Jonathan Stewart, Car.40%32%40%
2017Dion Lewis, N.E.40%47%38%
2017Derrick Henry, Tenn.40%41%28%
2017Jamaal Williams, G.B.40%32%31%
2017Jay Ajayi, Mia.38%34%0%
2017Kenyan Drake, Mia.37%46%75%
2017LeGarrette Blount, Phil.37%36%22%
2017Tevin Coleman, Atl.36%34%42%
2017Doug Martin, T.B.35%28%38%
2016Ryan Mathews, Phil.35%36%50%
2017Javorius Allen, Balt.33%32%29%
2016T.J. Yeldon, Jac.33%29%13%
2016Tim Hightower, N.O.33%31%24%
2016Matt Asiata, Minn.32%33%67%
2016Doug Martin, T.B.32%26%38%
2017Adrian Peterson, Ariz.32%32%33%
2016Bilal Powell, NYJ31%40%30%
2017Jerick McKinnon, Minn.30%29%20%
2016Chris Ivory, Jac.30%27%38%

Cropped the table at 30 percent in the interests of space. Now, with the two Eagles backs who do show up, Ryan Mathews and LeGarrette Blount, there were extenuating circumstances. Mathews had some injury issues, of course, while Blount has generally been a committee back in recent years, not a workhorse.

But the Eagles just won a Super Bowl using Blount, Ajayi and Corey Clement. They're apparently getting Darren Sproles back. There might even be another back (Matt Jones? Undrafted rookie Josh Adams?) in the mix to get some chances.

Ajayi may hope to be a workhorse, but he shouldn't be drafted as one. No reason to have any confidence the Eagles are going to make him "the guy" anymore than they have any other running back the last two years.

--Andy Richardson

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