{"id":88438,"date":"2020-05-23T08:46:29","date_gmt":"2020-05-23T12:46:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonprofootball.com\/?p=88438"},"modified":"2020-05-23T08:50:42","modified_gmt":"2020-05-23T12:50:42","slug":"philadelphia-eagles-no-devonta-freeman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2020\/05\/23\/philadelphia-eagles-no-devonta-freeman\/","title":{"rendered":"Why the Philadelphia Eagles Should Say No to Devonta Freeman"},"content":{"rendered":"

According to reports<\/a> across the country, the Philadelphia Eagles<\/a> are looking to add another running back. If the season started today, Miles Sanders<\/a><\/strong> and Boston Scott<\/a> <\/strong>would be the top two guys on the depth chart, with very little behind them. While the Eagles could certainly look to add more depth, several reports indicate that Philadelphia has their eye on former Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman<\/a><\/strong>. Freeman was once a great player, but he\u2019s not a good match for the Eagles.<\/p>\n

Devonta Freeman Not the Answer for the Philadelphia Eagles<\/h2>\n

Devonta Freeman Isn\u2019t Good<\/h3>\n

Freeman used to be one of the most electric and exciting dual-threat running backs in the NFL. While he was never a Christian McCaffrey<\/a><\/strong> type of threat, Freeman had a three-year run from 2015 to 2017 where he averaged 4.4 yards-per-carry while adding an additional 1,357 receiving yards and 35 combined touchdowns.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately for Freeman, running backs age quickly. Over the past two seasons, Freeman has been nothing short of an absolute disappointment. The former fourth-round pick missed the majority of 2018 with an injury and didn\u2019t look like his old self in 2019. Starting in all 14 games, Freeman averaged just 3.6 yards per attempt and barely made an impact in the passing game.<\/p>\n

Rushing success has more to do with the blocking and playcalling than the actual runner. Theoretically, a poor situation could explain Freeman\u2019s statistical dip. However, advanced data analysis shows that Freeman\u2019s shortcoming cannot be blamed on his blocking. According to this chart<\/a>, Freeman\u2019s situation was one of the best in the league. His inefficiency is entirely his own fault, and he probably won\u2019t improve as he gets older.<\/p>\n

If Freeman were willing to sign for the veteran minimum, then perhaps he\u2019d be worth a shot. However, all reports indicate that Freeman is looking to receive what he believes to be a fair deal. He turned down a one-year, $4 million contract with the Seattle Seahawks and reportedly is willing to sit out the season<\/a> if his contract demands aren\u2019t met. Freeman isn\u2019t even remotely worth this type of money, and the Eagles would be better off investing their resources in somebody else.<\/p>\n

What the Eagles Should Do<\/h3>\n

The Eagles should look to add another running back and bolster their depth. However, there are plenty of more cost-effective options than Devonta Freeman. Former Houston Texans running back Lamar Miller<\/a><\/strong> is coming off an ACL injury, but he was solid in 2018 and will probably sign for the league minimum. At the very least, he\u2019s cheaper than Freeman and just as likely to be a serviceable backup. Additionally, the team could look to bring back old friend LeSean McCoy<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

If Philadelphia is looking for a younger commodity, they could probably grab Royce Freeman<\/a><\/strong> from the Denver Broncos. Freeman is a fine running back and one of the better backups in the league. However, he\u2019s buried on Denver\u2019s depth chart and is going to have a hard time seeing the field. The Broncos signed Melvin Gordon<\/a><\/strong> to a massive contract to be the lead back, and Phillip Lindsay<\/a><\/strong> is penciled in as the primary backup. The Eagles could probably acquire Freeman\u2019s services in exchange for a late-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Considering he\u2019s still on his rookie deal, he hardly counts against the salary cap. Ultimately, this is probably the best move for the Eagles. If Howie Roseman<\/strong> wants another running back, Royce Freeman is the way to go.<\/p>\n

Main photo:
\nEmbed from Getty Images<\/a>