Are the Eagles' Deep Enough At RB?

On the surface, there is little intrigue to the  Eagles’ running back room. All-Pro Saquon Barkley headlines a projected depth chart where second-year man Will Shipley and veteran free-agent pickup A.J. Dillon project as capable replacements for veteran backup Kenny Gainwell, who departed for Pittsburgh in free agency.

The idea of a more layered backup approach would have Shipley being the game-day change of pace for the superlative Barkley, and the 247-pound Dillon serving as the next man up in a volume situation like Barkley having to sit a game or two due to injury.

You should never put much stock into spring work when it comes to the “physical” positions in the NFL, most notably the offensive and defensive fronts, but you can also factor in the running backs with that sentiment, at least when it comes to actually running the football and pass protection.

You can get a feel for the backs in the passing game, though, and Shipley looked the part from that perspective. 

As for Dillon, he didn’t strike anyone as terribly explosive coming off a lost season in Green Bay due to stinger issues. To be fair, though, that has never been the Boston College product’s game as a bruising, inside-the-tackles runner, so it’s not time to sound the alarm bell.

However, it is fair to question if the Eagles have enough depth in the room to withstand Shipley and/or Dillon not living up to the in-house projections.

The other backs include one-time Central Michigan star Lew Nichols who has been in and out on the organization’s fringes since 2023, undrafted rookies Montrell Johnson and ShunDerrick Powell, and spring waiver-wire pickup Keilan Robinson.

Of that group, Robinson is more kick returner than RB, Powell is limited by a 5-foot-7, 183-pound frame, and Nichols was lower on the totem pole than now-Tennessee back Ty Davis-Price, a player the Eagles granted a favor to by releasing early, enabling the one-time San Francisco third-round pick to get a two-year deal with the Titans.

That leaves Johnson as the lone alternative to push for a 53-man roster spot in a RB role.

At 5-foot-11 and 212 pounds with 4.41 speed, Johnson has the requisite physical traits of an NFL back and was thought by many to be a draftable player. 

A three-year starter at Florida, Johnson was part of a backfield-by-committee approach with the Gators, who predominantly ran a split- or wide-zone scheme. His numbers were down in 2024 to 593 rushing yards after three consecutive 800-plus yard seasons (the first at Louisiana before transferring to Florida). However, Johnson’s 5.93 yards per rush last season was his best at the college level.

“Johnson is at his best when he can get rolling on outside tracks that are blocked up for him. He runs physically through traffic and isn't shy banging inside, but his creativity and instincts don't consistently create yardage for him,” according to The Athletic’s lead draft analyst, Dane Brugler.

Those kinds of traits match up well with the Eagles’ offensive line, which is arguably the best in football.