Eagles news: Jay Ajayi's agent is maintaining contract discussions with Philly

Jay Ajayi is receiving interest from other teams, but that doesn't mean the running back won't be back with the Philadelphia Eagles next year.

Jay Ajayi is a free agent and receiving interest from other teams, but that doesn't mean the running back won't be back with the Philadelphia Eagles next year. Ajayi's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, spoke to reporters at this week's owners' meetings and provided an update. Rosenhaus said he is “maintaining discussions” with the Eagles' front office.

Agent Drew Rosenhaus says Jay Ajayi’s visit with the Colts last week went well, but, obviously, no agreement reached yet. Says he is maintaining discussions with the Eagles. Expects Ajayi to be ready for the start of the season, probably not much before that.

— Les Bowen (@LesBowen) March 25, 2019

Ajayi is not counting out the Eagles, so it sounds like a return could still be in the cards. Ajayi's season ended with a torn ACL last year, but Rosenhaus said he is making good progress in his recovery. The NFL super-agent has added a little twist to the story of a running back whose future is uncertain.

Ajayi has always been a talented runner, but his knees are a huge red flag. He fell in the draft in 2015 in part due to medical concerns, but was finally taken by the Miami Dolphins in the fifth round. He showed flashes of quality in Miami, playing at a supremely high level in a few games but rarely sustaining the level of play needed to make him an untradeable asset. The arc of his career has reached great heights in brief shining moments, but has not been able to stay at that elevated plateau where the game's most treasured stars reside. The Dolphins traded him to Philly two years ago, and reports at the time said the Dolphins viewed Ajayi's knees as degenerative.

“Stop-and-start” applies to Jay Ajayi on multiple levels.

He had a great second half of the 2017 season with the Eagles, and was a large part of their Super Bowl win. He ended up playing in just four games last year before going down, carrying 45 times for 184 yards and three touchdowns. The Eagles' backfield is still a bit uncertain, so it would make sense for them to bring Ajayi back. Given his injury history, he'll likely have to settle for a short-term deal without much guaranteed money.