Darren Sproles plans to take his time deciding on his future
To retire or not to retire – that is the question for Philadelphia Eagles veteran running back, Darren Sproles.
The last two seasons haven’t been ideal for Philadelphia Eagles veteran running back/specialist, Darren Sproles. Back in 2017, Sproles wrapped up his season rather early as he tore his ACL and broke his forearm on the same play during Week Three. Not only did it wrap up his season early, but Sproles was forced to watch the Eagles make a Super Bowl run without him for the majority of the season. And the worst part about it? Sproles was on the final year of his contract.
Before the 2017 season even kicked off, Sproles made it pretty evident that he intended on hanging it up after that season. With the final year on his contract coming up, Sproles assumed that it was probably time to put an end to his long and successful career. But that unfortunate season-ending injury wasn’t satisfying enough for him. Sproles still had the itch to play and knew precisely where he wanted to play if he came back.
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It took a while for the Eagles to get him back, but eventually, Sproles ended up inking a one-year deal with the Eagles for 2018. Once again, Sproles struggled to stay healthy. After returning to the field for the first time since Week Three of the 2017 season, Sproles injured his hamstring at practice after the season-opener. That kept him out until December. Assuming that he would be ready to call it quits after missing ten games, Sproles is once again undecided on his future.
Could the Eagles bring Sproles back once again?
Will Darren Sproles join Jason Kelce in eschewing retirement for one more season with the #Eagles? Possible, though it sounds like Sproles will take his time making a decision. Could be a bit before the team knows either way.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 2, 2019
If you’re waiting for Sproles to re-sign with the Eagles, don’t hold your breath. Once again, the veteran running back is going to take his time with his decision. Seeing as though Sproles turns 36 in June, he’s definitely passed most running backs age of retirement. A few months ago, it sounded like Sproles was serious about coming back for another season, and we all know that the Eagles would love that. However, they might want to avoid going that route once again.
Last season, the Eagles prioritized bringing Sproles back when they found out he wasn’t retiring. He ended up appearing in six games and finished with 280 yards on offense along with three total touchdowns. For a team that struggled to produce on offense due to their lack of weapons out of the backfield, it may be best to avoid re-signing an injury-prone running back that’s 36-years-old.
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Knowing Howie Roseman and the Eagles front office though, they may end up honoring Sproles with another one-year deal anyway regardless if that’s the logical move or not. Whether the Eagles are relying on Sproles coming back or not, they have to prioritize the running back position through Free Agency and the NFL Draft anyway. Since Sproles is going to take his time, his decision of coming back to play or not shouldn’t affect the Eagles offseason game planning.