Before DeMarco Murray, there was Frank Gore. Remember him?
Gore was an Eagle for about a day before backing out of a deal in Philadelphia and eventually signing in Indianapolis. The guaranteed money in both reported agreements was the same.
Gore’s swift departure from the Eagles stemmed from what had to be uncertainty of winning. Gore is going to be 32 in May. He wants to win. And he questioned the Eagles desire to do it now based on an offseason where almost nothing is certain and anything is possible.
As players rolled out of Philadelphia left and right, the question arose: do players want to play for Chip Kelly? Enter DeMarco Murray, who has answered that question.
Murray was essentially a target for the Eagles all along. There was mutual interest from the beginning of free agency and the Eagles now had a need for a running back after trading LeSean McCoy.
Kelly was not alone in the pursuit. Malcolm Jenkins and newly acquired quarterback Sam Bradford – introduced to the media on Wednesday – lobbied to get Murray to Philadelphia. Bradford and Murray were teammates at Oklahoma.
Even Murray personally called Kelly expressing his interest in being an Eagle. What Gore didn’t believe in, Murray does.
There have been numerous changes to the Eagles roster in the last two offseasons, most notably the release of DeSean Jackson and the trades of McCoy and Nick Foles. That boldness from a front office, led by the head coach that now has the power he always coveted, can create anxieties over job security.
In the case of Gore, it meant leaving for a team that knew it’s future. The Colts have Andrew Luck at quarterback. That won’t change. They added Andre Johnson to an already potent offense. It was indeed the perfect fit for Gore, who at this stage of his career is looking for the team all-in to win.
The Eagles are taking gambles and risks with their additions this offseason, Murray included. If not for his substantial workload in 2014, the Cowboys don’t make the playoffs.
But Murray was the leader of this venture for the Eagles. The interest was mutual, but Murray drove the bus. He reached out to his new head coach and expressed the interest to be an Eagle. And Kelly returned the favor, making a deal happen.
Murray was the NFL’s leading rusher a season ago, leading the Dallas Cowboys to the NFC East division title and a playoff win over the Detroit Lions in the NFC Wildcard round.
Murray posted career highs across the board. In 392 carries, he rushed for 1,845 yards and scored 13 touchdowns.
Kevin Durso is a contributor for Eagledelphia. Follow him on Twitter @Kevin_Durso.
