There are plenty of new faces in town when considering the current roster composition of the Philadelphia Eagles.
And while much has been made of the influx of fresh talent at both wideout and tight end, the running back room also ushered in new talent, albeit in a more under-the-radar fashion.
Strength in numbers
Beyond superstar Saquon Barkley, Tank Bigsby and Will Shipley are set to return. After a quiet start, including a serious limit on touches, Bigsby proved his mettle in the late stages last season, sparking the offense on numerous occasions down the stretch in averaging a whopping 5.9 yards per carry. Entering his second season in midnight green, Bigsby is poised to spell Barkley even more in key spots.
With Bigsby entrenched as the Birds' second back, third-year man Will Shipley is slated to return with his proven versatility to make plays on the ground, in the passing phase, and, of course, on special teams. The return of the top trio leaves new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion with a nice blend of contrasting skillsets to work with, yet the arrival of a former Texan could push Shipley in training camp.
Former Gator standout seeks redemption in Philly
Dameon Pierce enters the mix as a once highly-touted rusher looking to recapture the success he enjoyed as a rookie in Houston. Originally tabbed by the Texans in the fourth round of the 2022 draft, he clocked 939 yards as a bracing north-south style back before injuries and inconsistency hampered the Georgia native. Still just 26 years old, a fully healthy Pierce could rebound with a fresh start in Philadelphia.
The Texans moved on from the former fourth-rounder out of Florida in late November, as Pierce hit waivers and re-surfaced briefly with Kansas City, earning just 10 snaps in KC before hitting free agency. Eagles general manager Howie Roseman made the low-risk move for Pierce, and if he can show sustained flashes in camp, Pierce could emerge as third in the pecking order behind Barkley and Bigsby.
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With so much change taking place between the wide receiver and tight end groups, Eagles fans shouldn't sleep on the prospect of Pierce eventually making noise in the Philadelphia backfield.
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