Philadelphia Eagles: Trading Andre Dillard for Kareem Hunt isn’t the way

Anyone can run behind this Eagles’ O-Line, why trade for Hunt?

Even with Miles Sanders missing five games due to an ankle injury and then a later fracture in his hand, the team put up some impressive rushing stats in 2021. The Philadelphia Eagles led the league in rushing last season with 2715 rushing yards and ranked fourth in the league in yards per carry (4.9).

The Eagles boasted five different rushers who averaged over four yards a carry, four of which were running backs. It was a proper running back by committee approach for Philadelphia even with Sanders in the lineup, and that worked out more than well for Philadelphia thanks to the talented wall that is the Eagles’ offensive line.

Would Kareem Hunt find success as well behind Philadelphia’s O-Line? Almost certainly, but that’s not the point. The point is that if nearly anyone can find success, why trade away a young important depth piece — and draft compensation — for an expensive option at running back, especially when that costly option has a legitimate chance to be a “cap casualty” this offseason.

Kareem Hunt is due $6.25 million this season, and not one cent of it would count as dead cap for Cleveland. While they certainly enjoy his services, that amount of money paired with up-and-coming-back D’Ernest Johnson provides a pretty clear path for the Browns. If Philadelphia is interested in Hunt and his checkered past, they could wait until his potential, borderline inevitable, release from Cleveland.

An addition at running back may certainly happen between now and week one. It may even be Kareem Hunt. Under no circumstance, though, does it make sense to send value quality value, especially that which could help you win this season, for an aging, expensive running back. Say what you want about Howie Roseman — though all marks are high after this offseason — he at least knows that.