The 7-1 Eagles, the best team in the NFL at the 2017 midseason, boasted the NFL's No. 4 rushing offense before they acquired running back Jay Ajayi from the Dolphins ahead of Tuesday's NFL trade deadline. Philadelphia had to part with only a fourth-round pick.
On the surface, the draft pick would seem to match Ajayi's current value He has rushed for only 465 yards in seven games this season with an average of 3.4 yards per attempt.
But in reality, Ajayi was the victim of a few things — consistently poor offensive line play and an inconsistent passing game unable to stretch the field — that allowed Miami's opponents to squeeze up front and stop him, often not even needing a ninth defender in the box.
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Much of the power and elusiveness Ajayi showed during his big breakout 2016 season is still there. There simply hasn't been much room for him to get past the line of scrimmage, and he has had to break tough would-be tackles just to get something past initial contact. He also mysteriously has not been used much in the red zone, and the Dolphins are the only team in the NFL without a rushing touchdown this season.
Ajayi also has been banged up all season, managing practice reps with a hurt knee. But make no mistake: The Eagles aren't getting damage goods. They're just the team in best position to flip Ajayi's production into what it was last season.
Philadelphia has found success with coach Doug Pederson's random rotation of backs without true third-down options Darren Sproles and Donnell Pumphrey. LeGarrette Blount, a key free-agent addition, has been the leader, but second-year man Wendell Smallwood and undrafted Corey Clement both have flashed.
As much as Pederson has been happy with the situational "hot hand" approach — especially with quarterback Carson Wentz padding the rushing stats with his smart scrambles — you can bet the coach wanted one workhorse to trust more with regular snaps.
For the Eagles, even without injured left tackle Jason Peters, run-blocking remains a strength as long as their other premier tackle, Lane Johnson, is healthy as one edge anchor. They also have had no issues delivering big pass plays, with Wentz finding Alshon Jeffery and Nelson Agoholor streaking downfield. With tight end Zach Ertz producing each week to occupy linebackers and safeties, Philadelphia opponents can't afford to committ an extra defender to run support.
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Ajayi is built better than Blount, long mislabled as a true power back, to be a between-the-tackles pounder. Just like Blount, when Ajayi gets to the second level, he can burst for chunk runs. Ajay is only 24, while Blount turns 31 in December and might start to wear down when the Eagles need him most.
Ajayi has never been looked to as a receiver, but with all the Eagles' weapons in that area for Wentz, his receiving out of the backfield won't be necessary. Pederson has adjusted his offense well with the absence of Sproles. Blount, Smallwood, Clement and Kenjon Barner have combined for only 19 receptions. Ajayi had only 14.
The Dolphins also have been trailing in ugly games, and game flow had cut into Ajayi's usage. The Eagles have been a complete team that gets off to early leads and builds on them in the second half, so Ajayi will get plenty of chances to protect leads and play the closer role.
With the Eagles closing in on legitimate Super Bowl aspirations, Ajayi was the ideal slugger to add to an already potent lineup.
