Typically, an early-round running back is expected to take over a backfield. But the Philadelphia Eagles are going in a different direction with Miles Sanders.
This offseason, the Philadelphia Eagles needed to make a few upgrades on both sides of the ball. However, the position that needed the most re-building was running back. The Eagles were rumored to be in the mix for almost every big-name free agent available. Le’Veon Bell, Tevin Coleman, etc. As we know, though, they went in a different direction.
Instead, the Eagles made a trade with the Chicago Bears in order to acquire veteran running back, Jordan Howard. Now Howard has proven before that he can take a majority of the carries on by himself, but that’s not how the Eagles roll. We know the running back by committee is the Eagles way of moving the ball and keeping everybody fresh in the backfield.
Therefore, the Eagles needed more ammo. As every player behind Howard on the depth chart remains a question mark, they couldn’t just stop building there. So the Eagles decided to use one of their second-rounders on a multi-talented running back in Penn State’s Miles Sanders. As we know, the Eagles love a good pass-catching back — but that might not be the key reason why the Eagles viewed him as a perfect fit.
Why is Sanders the perfect candidate?
Perhaps, Sanders’ mindset and past experience is the factor that led the Eagles to believe he belongs in the Philly backfield. Think about it — Sanders might not have a ton of production at the NCAA level, which could raise question marks. But is the lack of production really a bad thing? In total, Sanders acquired 276 carries at the collegiate level — starting only one season at Penn State. His former mentor, Saquon Barkley entered the NFL with close to 700 carries after three seasons. That’s quite the significant difference in workload.
Granted, Barkley was a three-year starter with the Nittany Lions, so Sanders had to take a backseat to him until he left. But once Sanders got his shot, the former five-star prospect put on a show, totaling for over 1,400 yards from scrimmage and scoring 13 touchdowns. Now, he enters the Philadelphia backfield with a hunger for more production, and a lot less wear and tear than most running backs who get selected as early as the second round.
The fresh body factor and multi-talented abilities aren’t the only traits that work well for Sanders and the Eagles. Along with all of that, Sanders is an unselfish star, who is ready to co-exist with other running backs. As stated before, Sanders had to take a backseat to an already proven veteran before taking on the reigns. Not once did he cause issues behind the scenes, despite being a highly recruited prospect. With the Eagles, Sanders joins a similar scenario.
While speaking with the guys on NFL Total Access, Sanders acknowledged his unique situation. “It was like this at Penn State. It was a very talented running back room. But I’m just used to that stuff: competing and making each other better. Nobody’s really going to be the star running back. I think the ball’s going to be spread out a lot, and that’s what I kind of like, too.”
The Eagles like to use multiple guys in the backfield throughout the game. So they need to ensure they have unselfish players in the mix. Sanders just so happens to be one of those guys who can remain patient and trust the coach’s instinct on gameday. Maybe one day Sanders will headline the backfield himself. But for now, he’s well-aware of his role, which creates a perfect scenario for the Eagles as they look to have a much better season on the ground this year.