Reasons to like McCoy deal
Philly.com, Inquirer, and Daily News coverage of the Eagles
Reasons to like McCoy deal
Sheil Kapadia, Philly.com
The Eagles announced Thursday evening that they've crossed another item off their to-do list, signing running back LeSean McCoy to a five-year deal.
Per the Inquirer's Jeff McLane, the contract is worth $45M with $20.7M guaranteed.
There are plenty of reasons to like this deal. Here are some of them:
McCoy is a home run hitter: Much of what the Eagles do offensively still involves hitting on big plays. Through the passing game, that means Michael Vick finding DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin downfield. But McCoy brings a big-play element to the running game. He led the NFL with 14 runs of 20+ yards last season and was also first with 17 rushing touchdowns.
McCoy stays on the field: According to Pro Football Focus, he played 894 snaps last season, 49 more than any other running back. And keep in mind, McCoy didn't play in the regular-season finale. Part of that had to do with Ronnie Brown's lack of effectiveness and Dion Lewis' lack of experience, but the numbers also speak to McCoy's versatility. He can catch the ball (126 receptions the past two seasons) and has improved on his blocking since his rookie year.
McCoy is elusive: Don't forget that 2011 was the Eagles' first season running Howard Mudd's blocking scheme, and the team was dealing with a shortened offseason. Still, McCoy piled up 1,309 yards and averaged 4.8 yards per carry. The offensive line did a good job, but there were several times when McCoy made them look good. Football Outsiders keeps track of broken tackles, and their numbers show McCoy led the league with 50. He broke a tackle on 15.6 percent of his touches, the fourth-best mark of any running back in the NFL.
McCoy is young: Giving running backs long-term deals can be risky, because usually when they fall, they fall hard. But keep in mind that McCoy doesn't turn 24 until July. While he rarely comes off the field, it's important that the Eagles find a good complement - whether it's Dion Lewis, Bryce Brown, Chris Polk or someone else. In the final five games last season, McCoy averaged just 3.4 yards per carry after averaging 5.4 in the first 10.
McCoy can still get better: There are specific areas where McCoy can improve. I've heard some argue that the Eagles need a big back to help with short-yardage situations, but that's not really the case. McCoy's executed well in those spots (will find numbers to back that up in Friday's post). He can still get better in pass protection. And he can still improve as a receiver. McCoy averaged 6.6 yards per catch last season. As a point of reference, Brian Westbrook averaged 8.9 yards per catch in his career.
But overall, this contract has little downside for the Eagles. The theme of the offseason has been keeping their core players (DeSean Jackson, Trent Cole, Todd Herremans) happy, and they should enter training camp without having to answer any questions about contract situations.
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Well deserved congrats to shady— pflynn20- McCoy was uncanny good in short yardage in '11— thefadd
- Yes!! It's about time! Shady is a necessary part of the offense!— Pete H
- I wonder if they will address Maclin or wait till after the season?— LB817
- He earned every penny of it. This may be the most content Eagles team going into camp in years.— paulNC
- Forgot about Maclin. He's probably going to be taken care of at end of the season. Very excited about how the Eagles are being managed - seems like they are finally getting it - just hope it translates to some jewelry :-)— carmendmv
- Has osi tweeted him yet? He must be p-oed. Shady got his money.— P Even
- Exactly!! P Even— Geno D
- So, after the McCoy extension, the Eagles are currently how much under the cap?
— Copper34 
Comment removed.- Loving it. Shady is the best offensive player on this team.— otown philly fan
- I'd love it if Shady tweeted about how lucrative his Mother's Day week was— hillbillybirdsfan
- No baggage heading into the season, gotta love it!— eaglesanch
- Michael Vick if you are not listening, this is your last chance EVER to win a Super Bowl. You have the team to do it. I know we lost a big piece (no pun intended0 by loosing Peters but this can be the most explosive Eagles team ever and I firmly believe our D will be a top ten D next year. Tough schedule should have us ready when Jan rolls around!— tsump
- All the other rich Shadys are just imitating— dragoon6
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