The Philadelphia Eagles are coming off a Super Bowl victory, but they’ll look much different when they take the field to defend their title. Philadelphia lost several big names in free agency as Milton Williams signed with the New England Patriots, Mekhi Becton signed with the Los Angeles Chargers and Josh Sweat left for the Arizona Cardinals. But one player fans didn’t want to see leave was running back Kenneth Gainwell.
Gainwell signed a one-year, $1.79 million contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this offseason. While the Eagles are in good hands at running back with Saquon Barkley, Gainwell was a fan favorite, coming in as a third down back and showing quickness as a change-of-pace runner.
A player like this will be hard to replace in the minds (and hearts) of Eagles fans. But Philadelphia is giving it their best shot, signing another shifty player as an undrafted free agent.
Eagles Sign FCS Standout ShunDerrick Powell to Replace Kenneth Gainwell
The Eagles announced that they have signed nine undrafted players to UDFA contracts on Friday and a notable name was Central Arkansas running back ShunDerrick Powell. A 5-foot-7, 183-pound back, Powell starred for the Bears, running for 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons ,including gaining 1,343 yards and 14 touchdowns in his final collegiate season. Powell also contributed in the passing game, making 36 catches for 318 yards and three touchdowns.
The one thing that stands out about Powell, however, is his athleticism. He posted a 7.46 relative athletic score at his pro day last spring but most of it had to do with his size. While his 4.40-second time in the shuttle drill and his 7.39-time in the 3-cone drill were also graded poorly, he has great straight line speed, posting a 40-yard dash time of 4.40 seconds and splits of 1.5 and 2.52 seconds at 10 and 20 yards.
A speedy threat out of the backfield that can catch passes is a good way to make up for the loss of Gainwell. While his career high was a modest 364 rushing yards in 2023, he was a constant in the passing game, catching 102 passes for 721 yards and a touchdown in four seasons with Philadelphia.
Powell will have some work to do to win in the court of public opinion and a spot on the roster. But his skillset could help replace a fan favorite in the long run.