It's been a tumultuous week for the Philadelphia Eagles, who no longer have starters Nick Foles, LeSean McCoy and Jeremy Maclin on the offensive side of the ball. They swapped Foles with St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford, but they still need to address the other two voids, especially in the backfield.
Philadelphia sought to replace McCoy with free-agent running back Frank Gore, but after agreeing with the Eagles over the weekend, the veteran bolted for the Indianapolis Colts on the first day of free agency. Now, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, the team will host free-agent running back Ryan Mathews for a visit on Wednesday.
Philadelphia still has Darren Sproles and Chris Polk in the backfield, but they need someone to carry a bulk of the load. Mathews would fit the bill here, having spent the last five seasons with the San Diego Chargers and compiling 923 carries for 4,061 yards and 23 touchdowns to go along with 146 receptions for 1,110 yards and a touchdown in 62 games. However, the 27-year-old missed eight games last year because of a sprained MCL.
It's unknown what type of deal he's expected to land being that he's coming off an unproductive contract year, but it seems like the Eagles are pouncing on the opportunity before they lose out on another player. According to FOX Sports' Mike Garafolo, the former San Diego Charger is expected to sign with the Eagles.
Head coach Chip Kelly has been given complete control of the Eagles' roster and thus far it has appeared to be a disaster since they've lost so many playmakers, including DeSean Jackson last offseason. However, at least Philadelphia seems to be focused on upgrading their defense after signing cornerbacks Byron Maxwell and Walter Thurmond III and offering a large contract to safety Devin McCourty before he opted to stay with New England. They also acquired linebacker Kiko Alonso in the trade that sent McCoy to Buffalo.
The Eagles have also been linked to free-agent running back DeMarco Murray and the two sides were said to have a "mutual interest," but the Dallas Cowboys contacted his agent last night and Murray met with head coach Jason Garrett, which may have redirected Philadelphia's attention.
It looks like Mathews will be an Eagle by today and we'll be keeping up with any further developments.
UPDATE: The Eagles and Mathews have agreed to a three-year, $11.5 million contract with $5 million guaranteed, according to ESPN Insider Adam Schefter.
