Over the first two seasons of head coach Nick Sirianni’s tenure with the Philadelphia Eagles, the team’s running backs have not caught many passes.
As a rookie in 2021, third-year RB Kenneth Gainwell caught 33 passes, but his catch total dipped to just 23 last season. That total actually led all of the Eagles’ backs in 2022, but it will almost certainly go up. However, it likely won’t be the talented Gainwell who leads Philadelphia in receptions.
When the team acquired former Detroit Lions RB D’Andre Swift during this year’s NFL Draft, some team observers questioned why they would make this move considering Gainwell ended the season as their passing-down back.
D’Andre Swift Expected To Be the Eagles’ Lead Pass-Catching Back
Swift, who caught 156 passes over his first three seasons despite missing 11 games due to injury, immediately upgrades the position with his ability to catch the ball and, as a pro personnel source said, to make unblocked defenders miss in space. The source added that he runs with such great vision and has great spatial awareness.
If the first three training camp practices are any indication, Swift will easily be the Eagles’ most targeted running back. But the difference from the two previous seasons with Eagles running backs: most of the passes Swift caught last week appeared to be designed pass plays to him.
Swift made several outstanding catches last week, but none better than one on Sunday where he beat the defender far downfield but appeared to slip or trip, yet was able to still catch the ball when on the ground.
One knock that some personnel sources have on starting QB Jalen Hurts is that he will look to run sometimes if his primary pass targets are not open and decide not to check it down to the running backs. But with Swift now in tow, it’s hard to imagine that Hurts won’t find a way to get him the ball — he’s that good with the ball in his hands.
Hurts’ arm, by the way, looked stronger during the team’s first three camp practices. And he looked to be even more aggressive throwing the ball to a variety of pass targets.