The Eagles spent plenty of money, and twice the roster spots, to replace LeSean McCoy.
And McCoy thinks that’s partly because they blinked when Frank Gore got cold feet and went to Indianapolis instead, leading to the signings of DeMarco Murray and Ryan Mathews.
“I saw that they originally were trying to get Frank Gore, and he backed out,” McCoy said on The Rich Eisen Show, via ESPNDallas.com. “So then when they got DeMarco and they got Ryan Mathews, I thought it was like a panic move.”
While they didn’t want to pay McCoy, shipping him to Buffalo, they gave Murray a five-year $42 million deal and then another three years and $11.5 for Mathews.
“I can’t really answer it,” McCoy said. “They took two backs to replace one. I think DeMarco’s a hell of a back. I think he’ll do a good job there. I’m not sure how that went. . . .
“Chip, I think, is a really good coach. I think this is something different for him kind of managing both, from being a coach to now kind of managing the team as far as the players that they get and they pay.”
While it might seem an odd move on the surface, Murray might be a better fit for what Kelly wants to do on the field, regardless the money.
While McCoy’s certainly no slouch, he’s more of a one-cut-and-go back, while Murray runs inside with more power. Mathews simply seems like good value, buying low because of injuries that slowed him with the Chargers.