Philadelphia Eagles: After a whirlwind week, Josh Adams is ready for work
In one week, Josh Adams has gone from the practice squad to the Philadelphia Eagles’ potential lead back. And now, he has a chance to feast on the Colts’ D.
Boy, what a week it’s been for Philadelphia Eagles running back Josh Adams.
After an injury-plagued camp, the Warrington native was left off the team’s initial 53 man roster, succeeding his spot to Wendell Smallwood following a string of quality preseason performances.
Though he did clear waivers and make it back to Philly on the practice squad, he had to watch from the sidelines as the team struggled to get things going on the ground, as a string of injuries slowly depleted Duce Staley‘s depth chart.
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However, that waiting may have finally paid off.
In case you’re living under a rock, Carson Wentz is finally set to return as the Eagles’ starting quarterback for the team’s Week 3 bout against the Indianapolis Colts at Lincoln Financial Field.
But unfortunately for everyone’s favorite red-headed wonder, he’s hardly returning to a fully stocked cupboard.
With Alshon Jeffery still not cleared to return to play, Mike Wallace on IR, and DeAndre Carter on the practice squad, it looks like Wentz will have to throw to a motley crew of Nelson Agholor, Shelton Gibson, Kamar Aiken, and recently resigned Jordan Matthews in front of his home crowd.
Ouch.
While Wentz is officially cleared to return to action, it would obviously be smart for the team to try to establish a running game to help keep the ball out of their recently cleared QBs hands, however, that too may be difficult since as of Saturday both Jay Ajayi and Darren Sproles have been ruled out for Week 3, with Corey Clement listed as questionable.
Needless to say, the team’s only rusher couldn’t be Smallwood.
So, in lieu of the team’s decision to resign Matthews and shake up their receiving core yet again, the Eagles made another, less publicized move by waving Carter and elevating Adams to their 53-man roster.
Needless to say, this move was very popular with fans who thoroughly questioned why Adams didn’t make the 53-man roster in the first place.
Once considered a dark horse Heisman candidate after putting in a string of hundred plus yard performances, a string of late-season injuries, and comparable play from his backups left many college football fans wondering who was responsible for Notre Dame‘s rushing prowess, Adams or his offensive line.
This stigma stuck with Adams through the pre-draft process, eventually resulting in the probably Day 2 candidate going undrafted.
But now, a summer removed from his draft snub, Adams once again has a chance to prove he’s a whole lot more than just a guy behind another top-tier their offensive line.
Unfortunately for Adams, the Colts defense leaves a lot to be desired.
Currently ranked seventh overall against the run, the Colts will be without two key defensive linemen, Denico Autry, and Hassan Ridgeway for the bout against Philly. Adams punishing downhill running style should make quick work of their patchwork defensive line.
Though Adams may not possess the versatility of Clement or Sproles, and lacks the alpha traits of Ajayi, this matchup looks like a perfect chance for the former Notre Dame rusher to establish himself as a legitimate NFL player, and cement himself as a legitimate piece of the Eagles’ running back rotation, as opposed to a mere one week call-up.
Between Wentz’s return from injury and the Colts’ makeshift defensive line, don’t be shocked if Josh Adams surpasses the century mark in his first professional football game, and finally leap frogs Wendall Carter on the Philadelphia Eagles’ depth chart.