The Philadelphia Eagles were quick to make a move to bolster their RB room following the rib injury suffered by Will Shipley in the season-opening win over the Dallas Cowboys. With Tank Bigsby now in the fold, Philadelphia has added a 24-year-old who has proven himself as a viable option in the run game.
The fact that Bigsby has also been a kick returner throughout his career only made him a more attractive option to the Eagles. Given that the injured Shipley was one of the team's top options in the kick return game, this is an area where his impact could be felt the most as soon as he suits up for his first game.
That is what makes the mistake Bigsby made in his first official practice with the Eagles something that caught the attention of the media in attendance and, in turn, their respective social media followers.
Tank Bigsby Dealt with Issues in Return Game in 1st Practice with Eagles
While it isn't fair to Bigsby or the Eagles to overreact to a less-than-spectacular play being caught on camera during the former Auburn standout's first practice with the team, seeing Bigsby, quite literally, drop the ball during a return drill (h/t @JClarkNBS) isn't the best first impression to make.
With Shipley missing practice on Wednesday, there is a real possibility that Bigsby could not only be active this Sunday but counted on to set up Philadelphia's offense with as favorable a field position as it can get as the top kick return option.
Given that the NFL's recent rule changes are leading to more kickoffs being returned than fans have seen in quite some time, this is a role that must be held by a player who can not only make defenders miss but also run away from the pack once a hole opens.
With Saquon Barkley still leading the rushing attack, Bigsby's role in the backfield will be to spell the All-Pro when needed so the Eagles can limit the punishment Barkley takes throughout the regular season. Those opportunities will only be split even further once Shipley is healthy enough to return.
If Bigsby wants to make a difference on this roster in the short term, the best opportunity to do that is going to be found in the return game. For that to happen, mistakes like the one Eagles fans saw during Wednesday's practice have to be removed from the equation.