12 Eagles Entering Their Final Season With Philadelphia
By Cem Yolbulan
Kenneth Gainwell, RB
Another late-round Eagles pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Kenneth Gainwell is up for a contract extension. It is similarly uncertain whether he has done enough to warrant a multi-year extension.
Kenny G gets unfairly maligned at times by Eagles fans. He may not be an RB1-caliber player but he is a talented and productive rusher. He was very effective in the 2022 postseason, averaging 5.5 yards per carry and scoring a touchdown. He wasn't able to have the breakout season some have hoped for last year but he is a worthy RB2 and should have a role behind Saquon Barkley.
The problem is that he is a running back and running backs rarely get large, long-term deals. Teams treat them as expendable and regardless of how much fans and the organization like them, they usually end up on short-term deals or sign elsewhere.
Barkley is on a long-term deal in Philadelphia and Will Shipley was drafted in the fourth round. This means that the Eagles would likely not try to beat any offers Gainwell gets in free agency next offseason.