2 Reasons to elevate Elijah Holyfield to this Philadelphia Eagles active roster
By Hunter Doyle
1. The other running backs for the Philadelphia Eagles’ haven’t been impressive.
The back half of the Eagles’ running back depth chart is nothing special at the moment. As sad as it is to say, it’s looking more and more like Corey Clement’s addition might have been a mistake. Then again, some of you knew that before camp started. He hasn’t looked quite the same since that special 2017 season. Not only has he been ineffective in the run and in the passing game, but he’s also been a liability in pass protection. When Sanders is on the sidelines getting rest, his pass blocking is sorely missed and no one else has been able to step up.
Don’t forget, there’s also Jason Huntley who was brought in before the start of the season. The speedster was a fifth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft who the Lions tried to sneak through waivers but the Eagles claimed him. It definitely looked like a smart move at the time but he’s played just one offensive snap thus far. It just feels as if Clement and Huntley are essentially wasting a couple of roster spots. Huntley could be a nice piece for the future but no one would know because he isn’t playing.
Elijah Holyfield is still in the building and it might be time to give him a shot with his skillset especially if Sanders is out for Thursday night’s game.
When watching the Eagles run game, it’s hard not to wonder what it might look like with a power back in there like Holyfield. The staff at ITI thinks back to LeGarrette Blount in 2017 and Josh Adams in 2018. Even after Philly picked up Jay Ajayi at the 2017 trade deadline, Blount still had a huge role and picked up 44 first downs in his 19 games (12 started) as an Eagle. Adams picked up 26 in his 14 games (5 started). The importance of a short-yardage back cannot be underestimated.