Jay Ajayi is ready to be the Eagles’ lead back

After splitting carries for much of the season with LeGarrette Blount and Corey Clement, Jay Ajayi is ready to be the Philadelphia Eagles’ lead back.

Jay Ajayi has been through a lot in 2017.

After starting the season off with an appearance in the 2017 NFL Pro Bowl, following his breakout, 1272 yard sophomore campaign, the former Boise State Bronco found himself in the the Miami Dolphins‘ doghouse, and was shipped out of South Beach at the trade deadline for a menial 4th round pick, hardly just compensation for a 24 year old bell cow back.

Ajayi, one of the most complete college backs in recent memory, was originally drafted in the fifth round of the NFL Draft, due largely to concerns about his health, to complement then starting running back Lamar Miller, but after excelling in a supplemental role in 2015, it became incredibly clear that the former Bronco was ready to take on a much bigger workload in 2016.

And perform well he did.

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In only 15 games, Ajayi received 260 carries and literally put the team on his back on the way to their first playoff appearance under new head coach Adam Gase, but unfortunately, some things aren’t meant to last forever. After being called out for having a “me-first mentality“, Ajayi became expendable and was shipped north to become a member of the Philadelphia Eagles.

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And Ajayi’s situation didn’t get any less complicated when he arrived in the City of Brotherly Love.

After spending the 2016 season as the Dolphins’ unquestioned lead back, Ajayi joined Duce Staley‘s incredibly deep stable of tailbacks, including Super Bowl champion LeGarrette Blount, former fifth-round pick Wendell Smallwood and undrafted dynamo Corey Clement. And while Ajayi did find some immediate success in his first game with the team, rushing for an impressive 77 yards and a touchdown on only eight carries against the Denver Broncos‘ stingy defense, it became plain as day that a 20 carry game was not in the young back future anytime soon.

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While Ajayi did voice his displeasure after a particularly rough outing against the Chicago Bears in Week 12, for the most part, he’s kept his mouth shut, and continued to improve in his new role.

And it’s shown.

Over the next three games, Ajayi received 41 carries on the way to 179 yards and started distance himself from the pack.

So when head coach Doug Pederson announced that the team may lean in on Ajay during the playoffs, especially with the recent struggles of starting quarterback Nick Foles, it actually makes a lot of sense.

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Unlike Blount, a player who’s excelled in his first season in Pederson’s scheme, Ajayi is actually under contract next season, and at only 24 years old, could conceivably be a featured part of the team’s offense for years to come. His ability to stay on the field on first, second and third down and serve as an effective runner, receiver, and blocker gives the Eagles a unique chess piece, that can keep opposing defensive coordinators guessing. And with Foles and the left side of the Eagles offensive line’s persistent struggles over the last few weeks, any advantages Pederson can bring to the table to confuse defenders will be a welcomed addition in the month of January.

And furthermore, Pederson’s declaration also serves as a public vote of confidence for his young running back that will surely pay dividends moving forward.

Being traded away mid-season after recording the third most yards of any running back in the league one year earlier must have been a tough pill to swallow for the young back, especially with the subtle digs on his character being passed around the internet, so receiving such a public outcry of support, and countless blog posts about it, will likely bring out peak Ajayi for the team’s playoff run.

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While the Philadelphia Eagles are still Carson Wentz‘s team, Jay Ajayi has the potential to become the city’s next great tailback, joining a long lineage of greats like LeSean McCoy, Brian Westbrook and Duce Staley, and giving him an opportunity to shine in the playoffs could cement his place in the team’s plans going forward.