Heading into free agency next month, the Philadelphia Eagles will have a few tough decisions on several players who may or may not be back with the team. One of those players who is on the proverbial chopping block or offseason checklist is veteran running back AJ Dillon.
The Eagles surprisingly signed Dillon to a one-year deal in free agency last year with the exit of Kenneth Gainwell, who signed a one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The idea was that Dillon and Shipley would compete for the RB2 job behind Barkley in 2025.
However, that plan never materialized as the Eagles realized neither guy was the answer, which led to the acquisition of Tank Bigsby during the first month of the season. Bigsby didn’t really get a chance to take the RB2 role until Week 8, but his upside alone made it clear that Dillon’s role was not needed on the offense.
AJ Dillon Likely Getting One-Way Ticket out of Philadelphia This Offseason
The 27-year-old running back received 18 combined offensive snaps in the first two games of the season, where he ran for 29 yards on six carries. It wasn’t anything to be overly excited about, but it was something that the Eagles could build on with Shipley missing Weeks 2 and 3 with injury.
However, Dillon saw his playing time become more sporadic as he had zero carries in Week 3, but then had eight combined touches in the Eagles’ next three games. But things quickly went south for Dillon in Week 6, which was a disaster for the Eagles, who suffered a 34-17 loss to the New York Giants.
Dillon had an ugly fumble on a reception late in the fourth quarter, which quietly summed up the Eagles’ performance but also his tenure in Philadelphia. Dillon also handled kick returns in that game and only mustered 25 yards on two attempts.
After that game, the Eagles decided to put Dillon on ice as inactive on gamedays for the next 11 weeks. He would make his last appearance of the 2025 season in the regular-season finale vs. the Washington Commanders.
The veteran running back barely played in that game, seeing 12 total snaps (2 on offense), and recording one reception (one target) for three yards. As we previously mentioned, Dillon is on an expiring deal, and based on how his tenure went, the Eagles may use his roster spot for another position.
The Eagles are already set at the running back spot going into 2026 with Barkley, Bigsby, and Shipley. And if they want to carry a fourth running back, the Eagles could turn to Carson Steele, whom they signed to a futures deal in January. Philadelphia could also look at undrafted free agents after the draft.
Nonetheless, the idea of Dillon joining the Eagles and being the RB2 seemed promising based on what he showed with the Green Bay Packers with his physicality and in-between-the-tackles running. But it just never happened for him, and he’ll try to latch on for another opportunity in the league when free agency gets underway.