Running back LeSean McCoy and receiver DeSean Jackson had an interesting interaction on Instagram recently, sparking some debate on if a move is in the works.
After McCoy posted two highlights of him in an Eagles uniform with the caption "PHILADELPHIA = home", Jackson responded with "It's a reunion" and "homecoming" in the comment section.
Here is the full exchange, via screenshots:
LeSean McCoy posted a highlight video of him with the caption "PHILADELPHIA = home ❤️❤️"DeSean Jackson commented "It's a Reunion... home coming --"McCoy replied: "It's that time bro"#Eagles------------ pic.twitter.com/HrTfgTTk1x
— Eagles Nation (@PHLEaglesNation) March 27, 2020McCoy and Jackson are very close. If something was in the works with the Eagles it is safe to say Jackson would know, and the way Jackson commented almost makes it sound like it was a done deal, not just something the two were hoping for.
The two dominated together during their first stint as teammates with the Eagles from 2009 to 2013, and after Jackson rejoined the Eagles last offseason, the idea of McCoy returning as well has always been a topic of discussion. Whether the Eagles would have serious interest in bringing in McCoy is very much up for debate.
The Eagles have already passed on the chance to bring back McCoy once, when at the beginning of the 2019 season he was released by Buffalo Bills and was a free agent. The situation is different now, however, as at the time the Eagles had Jordan Howard on the roster, with Miles Sanders, Darren Sproles, Corey Clement and Boston Scott.
Now, the Eagles are down to just three on the roster, something general manager Howie Roseman noted this past week when speaking to reporters.
"We need to continue to add to that position," Roseman said. "We only have three on the roster right now and in the past few years we've never kept less than five. So certainly we got to continue to add to that position."
A running back could come in the draft, but even if one does, there is a clear need for a veteran on the roster at the position. Sanders and Scott will carry the bulk of the work, but they are entering their first season in the league where they are expected to see a huge workload, not just be role players. The other running back, Elijah Holyfield, has yet to register a single carry in the NFL.
Although he is not the player he was the last time he was on the team, McCoy could fill that veteran role.
McCoy's 2019 season in Kansas City wasn't great but he did average 4.6 yards-per-carry on 101 attempts, his best average since 2016 and his second-highest since 2011. If McCoy can convince the Eagles he will come in and be happy as Sanders' backup, and be a good presence in the locker room, a reunion is possible.
One major roadblock to McCoy coming back, however, is the Eagles' plan this offseason is clearly about getting younger and looking forward, not looking back. General manager Howie Roseman has said multiple times that he needs to be better at saying goodbye to older players he likes, and as a result guys like Malcolm Jenkins and Jason Peters have been shown the door. Bringing in McCoy, although it would be for far less money and in a much smaller role, would seem to completely contradict that plan.
Still, Roseman might be the general manager, but he isn't the owner — Jeffrey Lurie is, and Lurie a big fan of McCoy. Lurie hasn't allowed any player to wear No. 25 since McCoy left in 2015 and has always spoke highly McCoy. It is possible Lurie decides bringing the franchise's all-time leading rusher is a move he wants to make.
Whether it happens remains to be seen, but at the very least, the interaction between Jackson and McCoy is interesting.
You can follow Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!
