We all know the Eagles will enter the 2020 season with Miles Sanders as their lead back, but they are reportedly interested in adding a veteran running back to the mix.
And now there’s a name to pair with them.
The Eagles are showing interest in veteran running back Carlos Hyde, according to Adam Caplan on Inside the Birds.
“I’m told Hyde is a guy they’re targeting,” Caplan said.
Hyde will turn 30 in September but is coming off his first-career 1,000-yard season as a member of the Texans in 2019. The former second-round pick has never blossomed into a Pro Bowl player but he’s been a somewhat productive running back in the NFL and would be a sensible complementary player to Sanders.
According to Caplan, the Eagles are looking for a few things in a veteran backup: They want a powerful, volume running back who can handle 12-15 carries per game. They’d also like a guy with slightly more pass-catching ability than they got from LeGarrette Blount a few years ago.
Hyde seems to check all of those boxes.
NFL
During his six-year career, Hyde has averaged 2.71 yards after contact per attempt, according to ProFootballFocus. And he also has 32 total touchdowns in six seasons. So he has the ability to run tough between the tackles. And he has also caught 129 career passes, including a career-high 59 back in 2017.
Hyde spent last season with the Texans and his next team will be his fifth team in four years. But it’s not like he hasn’t been at least somewhat productive.
According to the report, the Eagles are interested in signing a guy like Hyde for league minimum with added incentives. Since Hyde has six credited seasons under his belt, his veteran minimum would be $910,000 in 2020.
As a reminder, here’s the group of running backs the Eagles have right now:
Miles Sanders
Boston Scott
Corey Clement
Elijah Holyfield
Michael Warren II
Adrian Killins
There’s plenty of potential in that group but the roster spots certainly aren’t all locked up. We know Sanders and (likely) Scott will be here. But as it stands, it seems like the other four are competing for the final two spots if the Eagles keep four running backs.
Clement was once a Super Bowl hero but his last two seasons have ended on IR. And the other three are largely unknown. Holyfield has been here a little longer, having signed near the end of last season. And the other two — Warren and Killins — are undrafted rookies.
It seems like Holyfield or Warren have the skillset to be a complement to Sanders as inside volume runners, but both are unproven. If the Eagles add a guy like Hyde, at least they know he can give them something.
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