Philadelphia Eagles: Elijah Holyfield’s case for a roster spot

Will Elijah Holyfield get a shot with the Philadelphia Eagles?

These days, power backs aren’t valued very highly, but they can end up being pretty successful in the right situation. The Eagles certainly have gotten the most out of those types of players during the Doug Pederson era.

All four guys were asked to carry the ball numerous times each Sunday for the “Birds”. Holyfield won’t be asked to carry the ball nearly as much as those guys were asked to, yet in terms of size, he compares pretty similarly with all of them and was able to produce against some of the best of the best in college despite a lack of athleticism.

What Holyfield did or didn’t do at the NFL Scouting Combine won’t be what the Eagles are concerned about when they send him into the backfield on a third-and-two situation to help move the chains. With the penetration the offensive line gets and with the power that Holyfield displays when he runs, this could be a great fit. By the sounds of things and from the outside looking in, the Eagles could get plenty of easy first downs with Holyfield in the backfield. Maybe we’ll even see him lineup as a fullback at some point. Don’t expect anything flashy, Holyfield can get the job done in the right role.

Given the Eagles’ recent history of running backs, Holyfield should definitely get a shot this year at the last spot on the depth chart. It makes a lot of sense to keep him around in some form or fashion, especially if injuries hit the running back room. Don’t give up on Holyfield just because he didn’t see the field in year one. He might just need an opportunity in the right situation and running backs coach Duce Staley could be the perfect coach to develop him if all goes well.