This time last year, I was writing about how I thought the Philadelphia Eagles needed to get Darren Sproles more involved in the offense. Now, I think it’s time that they move on from Sproles altogether. With the arrival of Doug Pederson and the way I think he’s going to shape the offense, I don’t think Sproles will have much of a place and won’t be able to justify his contract.
I think it’s all going to revolve around the fate of the offensive line, honestly. The Eagles may keep Sproles if they can’t shore up the line between free agency and the draft, because Sproles’ versatility doesn’t require a lot of blocking up front. Sproles can line up inside, outside, wherever, and find some space to do his damage. So if the line doesn’t get fixed, Sproles will be worth it.
But if Pederson can fix the offensive line — which I think he will, and quickly — Sproles won’t be needed. DeMarco Murray and Ryan Mathews’ roles are clear — just look at what Pederson did last year with Charcandrick West and Spencer Ware and that’s what Philadelphia is in for. Those two are going to be the bulk of the rushing workload. Pederson didn’t have a pass-catching specialist last year, nor do I think he was pining for one. Ware was good enough as a pass-catcher, and Mathews can do it just as well as Ware can. I think Murray and Mathews are all the versatility Pederson needs.
Of course there’s the depth issue and the frequent injury histories of Murray and Mathews, but Pederson did just fine with two unknowns behind Jamaal Charles. A late-round pick or undrafted free agent Pederson picks out can serve as that third back, and I trust Pederson’s ability to find one. Running backs come very cheaply these days, and I doubt anyone outside of Kansas City knew who West and Ware were before Charles got hurt.
Meanwhile, there’s an aging Sproles and his $4.5 million salary sitting in a specialist’s role. That’s a lot of money to have sitting there, especially when the team can save $3.5 million by cutting him. Those making a case for him will point to his special-teams skills, which I’ll admit are really good. But is his role and special-teams ability worth $4.5 million? Especially when you’re already stuck with Murray’s big cap hit this season? I don’t think so.
Besides, Sproles is a free agent after this season anyway. It’s better at this point for the Eagles to speed up the inevitable, release him, save the money and apply it elsewhere. Who knows, if no one else bites on Sproles maybe he comes back on a cheap deal as a pure returner and solves the problem. But it’s unlikely Sproles does that this season, not when he’s got a good chunk of salary coming his way. He’ll probably never see it but I doubt he does anything to stop that from happening.
Sproles was a great move the Eagles made, and I think they definitely got their money’s worth from him up to this point. Now, though, it’s just too much for a guy who doesn’t project into a role that warrants that payout. Maybe Chip Kelly pays him that money out west, but it shouldn’t be here.
