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The Eagles are over a year removed from their Super Bowl win over the Patriots. This season, they were one dropped pass away from possibly making it back to the NFC Championship Game.
Philadelphia did not tag Nick Foles which will allow him to become a free agent. They have decided to roll with Carson Wentz despite his injury history. The Eagles will go into next season with a quarterback who has never played a postseason game.
On the plus side, Alshon Jeffrey and Zach Ertz are two of the best at their position. Philly also features a strong defense. Their number one need will be in the run game.
Josh Adams led the Eagles in carries with 120 last season. Wendell Smallwood and Corey Clement also took on some of the duties in the backfield. The Eagles traded for Jay Ajayi midway through 2017. They wanted to add a big, bruiser in the backfield. Ajayi was limited to just four games in 2018.
There is currently no reliable back to hand the ball to in Philadelphia. If the Eagles are interested in a bruiser, there is no better option than Jordan Howard.
Howard is entering his fourth season in the league after being selected in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. In his rookie season, Howard piled up 1,313 yards and six touchdowns. He followed that up with another 1,000-yard season in his sophomore campaign.
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Howard's claim to fame is his ability to hold onto the ball. In 778 professional carries, Howard has fumbled four times, losing three. Tarik Cohen emerged this season as the Bears' passing option out of the backfield. Howard is entering the final year of his rookie deal. With the emergence of Cohen, the future does not seem bright for Howard in Chicago.
The Eagles need to inquire about Howard before the season begins. He checks all the boxes for Philly. The Eagles need a reliable back who can play 16 games. In three seasons, Howard has missed just one game. The market on Howard is not high. He will be a free agent after next season and will not get a ton of money in free agency. This will allow him to get comfortable in Philadelphia before the Eagles extend his contract.
The Bears sported a new style of play with head coach Matt Nagy and quarterback Mitchell Trubisky. They went from a ground-and-pound team to one that likes to open up the playbook. Trubisky was a quarterback who used his legs often. Cohen fit in more of that style of play as a receiver.
In Philadelphia, Howard is a match made in heaven. Howard can be a LeGarrette Blount type player for the Eagles. In 2017, Blount ran for 766 yards on 173 carries. He was a back who took defenses with him. Howard is that same type of runner. He has two 1,000-yard seasons and two seasons with nine touchdowns under his belt.
The Eagles are set at the quarterback position. Ertz is one of the best tight ends in the league. The defense in Philly is top notch. Adding Howard to that offense will make them a dangerous team for many years to come.
