UPDATE: The Philadelphia Eagles have reportedly agreed to a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars for veteran RB Tank Bigsby since this story was initially published.
While the Philadelphia Eagles' rushing attack will be elite as long as All-Pro running back Saquon Barkley remains healthy, the depth behind him at the position is already in question. Backup Will Shipley picked up a rib injury during the team's Week 1 victory over the Dallas Cowboys that knocked him out of the entire second half.
The second-year rusher out of Clemson got off to a strong start against Dallas, showing just how dangerous he can be in the open field. While we wait for any further updates, the defending champions have brought a familiar face back to the practice squad as a result of roster moves announced on Monday.
Eagles Reunite With RB Montrell Johnson After Injury to Will Shipley
In no way does this guarantee Shipley will be sidelined for an extended period of time. However, bringing back Montrell Johnson Jr., who was with the team throughout training camp and had a couple of promising performances in the preseason, could be an indicator that the 2024 draft pick might not be able to return right away.
In two preseason appearances for the Eagles, Johnson had 77 rushing yards and one touchdown on 21 carries. He also proved to be of service on special teams by adding two kick returns for 47 yards to his resume. If all Johnson needs to be is a short-term fix while Shipley gets right, Philadelphia seems to have found the perfect candidate for that role.
If Shipley's absence from the lineup stretches longer than a couple of weeks, then this could be something that needs to be addressed more seriously. A.J. Dillon's performance in Week 1 of 10 yards rushing on three carries, with nine of those rush yards coming on a single attempt, has not done much to make fans or the coaching staff comfortable with him as the primary backup to Barkley.
Those decisions are why Howie Roseman is paid the big bucks, however. To this point, he has pushed the right buttons for this franchise the majority of the time he has needed to make big roster moves. If the time comes when that decision needs to happen again, he has built up enough goodwill among the fan base that they will trust his judgment.