2 Reasons Philadelphia Eagles need to consider Jonathan Williams

2. There isn’t much film, but the Philadelphia Eagles should watch what Jonathan Williams has done.

It’s easy to forget that Williams was taken right behind two former Eagles in 2016’s selection meeting. As the 156th selection, his name was called just six slots after the Chicago Bears drafted Jordan Howard and just three selections after Philly made Wendell Smallwood the first of their two fifth-round choices (Halapoulivaati Vaitai was the other).

You’re all familiar with Howard’s recent chapter of his NFL story. You’re also aware that, as of right now, Wendell Smallwood is a free agent and doesn’t call any team home.

For those that were totally on board with the idea of bringing Howard back, here’s something to consider. Williams is a similar runner with a similar frame. Howard outweighs him by about eight or nine pounds, but both are the same height. Both are still young. Howard turns 26 in November. Williams is 26 and won’t turn 27 until February.

You may have heard about the Eagles’ potential cap issues in 2021. As of the time of this story being published, they’re expected to be about $51.5 million over the cap. They’ll get where they need to be, but avoiding the hefty salaries that McCoy and Freeman would command helps the Eagles in that regard. They don’t even need to sign Williams to a long-term deal at this point. A one-year, prove-it deal would suffice. That gives them time to assess things.

The long and the short of it is this. Howie Roseman said he wanted guys that could run, were healthy, and can play. That alone eliminates McCoy and Freeman, but Williams provides a nice option. We’ll see if Philly shows any interest in the coming days.