Getty Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni has his team locked in as Super Bowl favorites in 2023.
The Philadelphia Eagles believe they have an abundance of riches at running back. The trade for D’Andre Swift added another explosive playmaker to a room bursting with talent. Rashaad Penny, Boston Scott, and Kenny Gainwell — plus Trey Sermon and Kennedy Brooks — round out a deep room.
Head coach Nick Sirianni was smiling as he talked about the competition to replace Miles Sanders at the conclusion of Eagles OTAs. He knows having too much talent at a key position like running back is a good problem to have. It’s a tad too early to make any rush evaluations, especially since the pads don’t come on until training camp.
“Man, we have a really deep room there,” Sirianni told reporters on June 8. “You’re excited about the competition that we’re going to have there. Backs get a little bit more chance to shine when the pads come on. Now, they’re still out there doing some things, and Kenny and D’Andre have done a really nice job in the receiving area, and so has Boston. They all have. But really Kenny and D’Andre have really done a nice job there.”
Sirianni isn’t ready to start predicting the depth chart or naming his Week 1 starter. That stuff will get figured out after many more reps, most of them under the hot and humid July sun in South Philadelphia.
“Some of those competitions sort itself out when they get the pads on, especially at that position,” Sirianni said. “But man, we’re deep there. It’s a good problem to have as a coach. It’s just a really good problem.”
Kenny Gainwell Expecting ‘Very High Role’
“Playoff Kenny Gainwell” emerged from the shadows of a wild postseason where he rushed for 188 yards in three playoff games. His coming-out party came against the New York Giants: 112 yards on 12 carries, with 1 touchdown.
The dominant stretch had people calling for Gainwell to be the starter in 2023. But, as noted above, the Eagles are stacked at running back. He’s going to have to turn heads on every rep to be considered for RB1, although he’s likely to have a big role no matter what.
“I’m expecting a very high role, just gonna continue to improve my game still on top of everything that I have done,” Gainwell told reporters on June 6. “I’ve been in this position before and it’s just nothing.”
That position is being stuck in a crowded running backs room after carving out a role as a third-down back last season in tandem with Miles Sanders. Gainwell also experienced it in college at Memphis where he backed up future Cowboys starter Tony Pollard. Nothing new.
Boston Scott: ‘Everybody’s Cool’
Boston Scott is the oldest running back on the roster, age-wise at 28 years old. He’s comfortable being the leader in the room, with no apparent designs on winning the starting job. Scott is there to teach the younger guys and enjoy the competition.
“That’s the one thing I said I like about that room, everybody’s cool,” Scott told reporters. “I would say we’re pretty much laid back but smart guys, football guys. They love the game of football, talented, easy to talk to, everything that you want in a good teammate so it’s been good to get to know them. They are hot — everybody in that room — it’s fun to see, and we’re going to get better because of it.”
