Among the notable players set to test the free agent market this offseason for the Philadelphia Eagles is running back Jordan Howard.
The Eagles managed to acquire Howard from the Chicago Bears in exchange for a sixth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft prior to the 2019 NFL season. They had high hopes that the former Bears workhorse would be able to fill the void left in their backfield.
Howard found himself locked in a timeshare in the backfield with rookie Miles Sanders and his production was capped by his presence as a result. He wound up finishing the 2019 campaign by rushing for 525 yards and six touchdowns on 119 carries while Sanders outpaced him as the team's leading rusher with 818 yards and three touchdowns on 179 carries.
Howard's modest production can be attributed by his inability to play down the stretch due to a shoulder injury that caused him to miss six games. Although he was able to return for the season finale and the NFC Wild Card Round versus the Seattle Seahawks, he did not receive any playing time after the Eagles opted to give Sanders and running back Boston Scott an increased workload.
It is safe to say that his debut season in Philadelphia did not go exactly as planned after playing second fiddle to Sanders in the backfield. After all, Howard had established himself as an every-down back in Chicago by topping 1,000 yards rushing in his first two seasons and fell just 65 yards short of making it three consecutive before parting ways with his former team. Unfortunately, it appears he has suffered a minor setback in his career following an underwhelming season.
It should also be noted that the Eagles simply could not get all of their key players health on the offensive side of the ball at the same time. Aside from Howard's injury, the receiving corps for quarterback Carson Wentz was extremely shorthanded without Alshon Jeffery, DeSean Jacksonb, and Nelson Agholor in the mix.
While Howard was able to show flashes of promise throughout the year with his prowess as a runner in between the tackles, his efforts for the Eagles have still garnered him a C- rating.
The 25-year-old is now set to become an unrestricted free agent and the prospect of the Eagles bringing him back may seem rather far-fetched considering the other talented, young options they have their disposal. It will be interesting to see if another change of scenery can help Howard get back on track.
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