No, I don’t care about “positional value.” No, I don’t care about Howie Roseman’s tendencies. I don’t even care about the trend of underperforming, highly-drafted running backs. I care about one thing and one thing only: Bijan Robinson is a generational running back talent and needs to join the Philadelphia Eagles.
Leading up to the draft, the Eagles’ fan community has seemingly become split on two prospects at pick 10: Jalen Carter and Bijan Robinson. Carter, a super-talented player in his own right, hails from Georgia, where he’s played defensive tackle for three seasons. He, along with Robinson, is a clear-cut top-10 talent but has gotten into legal trouble in the months leading up to the draft. The consensus had him cemented in the top five not too long ago, but character concerns have fans and analysts alike skeptical about their original projections. He will likely be available for the Eagles to pick come night one of the draft.
Then there’s Robinson. Assuming you read the title of the article, you know where I stand. For years, Roseman has prioritized the trenches over every other position, and for the most part, it has worked out. The Eagles consistently have top five (if not the best) offensive and defensive lines in the NFL, solidifying them as playoff contenders no matter the state of the surrounding talent. However, this year, there is one option that is clearly better. Just for once, Roseman needs to break his own rules and draft Robinson.
The Philadelphia Eagles Need Bijan Robinson
Eagles’ Quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) – Matt Slocum/AP Photo
An Unstoppable Ground Game
In 2022, Jalen Hurts entered the conversation as one of the best running quarterbacks in football. He ended the regular season with 760 yards on the ground and 13 rushing touchdowns, good for fourth and first among quarterbacks, respectively. Alongside him was Miles Sanders, who finally had the breakout year fans had been hoping for since he was drafted in 2019. He made his first Pro Bowl as a part of what was the best rushing attack in the league.
However, in the playoffs, one underlying fact was proven: the Eagles are still a running game by committee. Throughout the postseason, it was Kenneth Gainwell, not Sanders, who played the biggest role of the team’s running backs. Hurts was still clearly the feature runner, but as for the running back position, the Eagles gave everyone their touches, not leaning on any one guy to carry the load.
Heading into 2023, Sanders is now in Carolina. Left in Philadelphia are Gainwell, Boston Scott, and the recently acquired Rashaad Penny, a group of talented backs with spotty production to this point. Behind the league’s best o-line, they still have a good chance to produce, but none of them have the ability to match what a Bijan Robinson would bring to the offense.
LeSean McCoy, Wilbert Montgomery, Brian Westbrook–these are the three best running backs to ever play in an Eagles uniform. Robinson has a higher ceiling than all of them. Seriously, if you haven’t watched the film yet, I invite you to. Robinson is a complete back with excellent acceleration, contact balance, and an ability to make people miss in the hole. You only see backs that are well-rounded once every five-plus years.
Robinson makes the Eagles’ offense unstoppable. We’ve already seen how productive the team can be with the guys currently on the roster. Add in a player of Robinson’s caliber, and this will be the best offense in the league, bar none.
Eagles’ General Manager Howie Roseman – Bill Streicher/USA TODAY Sports
A Dream Trade Back Option
Okay, so I know I said I don’t care about positional value, and I’ll double down on that… but truth be told, the Eagles can probably trade back and still select Robinson. In general, the league doesn’t value running back very highly, to the point that even a generational talent at the position can fall outside the top ten if they even go inside the first round at all. In a class filled with highly touted quarterbacks and defensive pieces, Robinson likely won’t be drafted until much later than his talent suggests.
For the Eagles, this means that pick ten doesn’t have to be the spot. In fact, given the Eagles’ lack of picks in this year’s draft, they could trade back, obtain some more capital, and get some extra talent on top of grabbing one of the best players in the class. Perhaps they could even add a high-value pick for the 2024 draft, a move Roseman has capitalized on before. While the allure of taking Carter at 10 makes a lot of sense, the ability to load up on picks while also drafting possibly the best player in the class can’t be ignored.
After the Eagles pick at 10, the next logical landing spot for Robinson is probably pick 18 to Detroit, although the first team with a need at the position is Tampa Bay one pick later. Either way, this gives Philadelphia a lot of trade scenarios to work with. The potential value sitting on the table given a trade-back should have Roseman watering at the mouth.
Cowboys’ Wide Receiver CeeDee Lamb (88) – Tim Tai/The Philadelphia Inquirer
A Division Rival Waiting in the Wings
As was said at the beginning of the article, Roseman and the Eagles’ drafting department don’t tend to prioritize skill players early in the draft (with the exception of a few receivers in recent years). However, one of their NFC East counterparts does and hasn’t hesitated to take talented players on the Eagles’ radar in the past. Everyone should remember 2020 when CeeDee Lamb fell to just three picks before Philly’s before he was taken by a team with an already well-established receiver room. Even though Tony Pollard remains on the roster, the Dallas Cowboys are a serious threat to take the Texas prodigy, something Roseman and co. can’t allow.
The Eagles have a need at running back, so there shouldn’t be any lack of motivation to select a potential All-Pro caliber player. However, the potential for Robinson to boast a star on the side of his helmet should be the final nail in the coffin.
A move like this gives similar vibes as the trade-up for Devonta Smith in 2021, where Philadelphia jumped the New York Giants to take the top guy on their board. That pick has worked out pretty well for the Eagles. Assuming Robinson plays anywhere near his potential, this move should pay off just as well, and the ability to take a stud from a division rival makes it even better.
