Ryan Mathews, Eagles Agree to Deal; Grade and Analysis
After failing to sign Frank Gore on Tuesday, the Eagles moved quickly in their attempts to find their starting running back for next season, agreeing to a deal with the former San Diego Charger, Ryan Mathews.
Here is a tweet from Mike Garafolo regarding Ryan Mathews’ visit to Philadelphia:
Here is a quick bio on Ryan Mathews from the NFL Mocks crew:
"Throughout his NFL career, Ryan Mathews has been anything but consistent, and his many injuries didn’t help his cause. Mathews has only played in all 16 games once in his five year career, in which he rushed for over 1200 yards and collected 6 rushing touchdowns. Last season, Mathews played in only six games, managing only 330 yards and three touchdowns. When healthy, Mathews has proven that he can be an effective, work-horse back in the league and he can really help a team’s running game."
The Eagles are in desperate need of help at the running back position, after trading their incumbent running back, LeSean McCoy, and after their deal with Frank Gore fell through. Ryan Mathews is a very talented back, but he hasn’t been able to stay on the field enough consistently to make good on his talent.
Mathews was the 12th overall pick in the 2010 Draft by the San Diego Chargers, but he has struggled to stay healthy. He has only played 16 games in a season once and he has only eclipsed the 200 carry mark twice in his career. In both of those seasons, however, he rushed for over 1,000 yards and six touchdowns.
Mathews is a bigger back, measuring in at 6’0″ and 220 lbs, making him an ideal fit for what Chip Kelly looks for in his starting running back. It has become clear the Kelly wants a back who can run with some power and run between the tackles and Mathews can do just that.
Grade B-
This grade may change depending on the terms of this deal, but at face value, Ryan Mathews seems like a great fit in Chip Kelly’s offense as long as he can remain healthy.
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