Dallas Cowboys Lose DeMarco Murray To The Eagles
It is now being reported by NFL.com that former Dallas Cowboys’ running back and the NFL’s leading rusher in 2014, DeMarco Murray, will sign a deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. This ends months of speculation that leaves the Cowboys without a starting running back in 2015.
The Murray deal with Philadelphia is rumored to be a five year, $42 million contract, including $21 million guaranteed per Adam Schefter. That’s makes his average annual salary estimated to be $8.4 million a year, which would make DeMarco the fourth highest paid running back in the NFL.
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The possibility of Murray signing with the Eagles actually only started Wednesday of this week when the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2014 made a personal phone call to Eagles’ head coach Chip Kelly.
The Eagles created a need at running back when they traded away their starter LeSean McCoy to the Buffalo Bills. But when Philadelphia agreed to a deal in-principle with former San Diego Chargers’ running back Ryan Mathews on Wednesday morning, the Eagles seemed to be out of the Murray sweepstakes.
Although Mathews arrive in Philly on Wednesday night, the Eagles could be having second thoughts as no contract has actually been signed yet.
One of Murray’s best friends and his former quarterback at Oklahoma, Sam Bradford, was traded to the Eagles from the St. Louis Rams on Tuesday. Bradford confirmed he’s been recruiting DeMarco to join the Eagles ever since.
Murray led the NFL in rushing in 2014, recording 1,845 yards and 13 touchdowns. DeMarco averaged 115.3 yards per game behind the Cowboys’ dominant offensive line in 2014.
Drafted in the third round out of Oklahoma of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys, 2014 was actually the first season in which DeMarco played in all 16 games.
Murray’s first three seasons in Dallas were plagued by injuries. Between 2011-2013, he missed a total of 11 games due of injury.
Last offseason, Murray starting working out with the Cowboys’ stalwart tight end Jason Witten. Those joint practices continued through the season and played a big part in the fact Murray stayed relatively healthy in 2014.
That’s not to say Murray didn’t suffer any injuries last season. The 27-year old broke the fourth metacarpal in his left hand in mid-December. Following surgery, Murray played through the injury showing a new level of toughness.
And Dallas certainly took advantage of their workhorse running back in 2014. Murray ran the ball 392 times last season. That’s 80 more carries than the next nearest NFL running back.
His large workload combined with Murray’s age and injury history were all reasons the Cowboys were reluctant to give their starting running back a large contract extension this offseason.
With Murray now landing in Philadelphia, the Cowboys will be forced to face him twice a year. Now the focus shifts to who will replace DeMarco in Dallas?
The Cowboys are apparently looking to the draft to find Murray’s replacement. Earlier rumors had them interested in free agent running back C.J. Spiller from the Buffalo Bills. But those rumors died down after it was revealed Spiller planned to visit with the New Orleans Saints.
As for the draft, this year is believed to feature one of the best running back classes in recent memory.