Philadelphia Eagles and Demarco Murray don’t need stare-down

All appeared to be going well for the Philadelphia Eagles after they fired head coach Chip Kelly. Doug Pederson was hired to bring in a scheme that allows Eagles players to do what they do best. Then the organization started to sign core players, perhaps sold on the direction the Eagles are going in.

But running back Demarco Murray is not among the players that has been sold on this new direction. Murray still has the taste of 2015 in his mouth and doesn’t feel too comfortable with his role. And NFL Media insider Ian Rapoport reported that the Murray and the Eagles appear headed toward a “stare-down” regarding his future with the organization.

Sure, Murray has concerns over his 3.6 yards per carry last year but the stare-down is for nothing. Kelly’s entire staff is gone with him so there’s no reason to believe anything will be the same. And on the other end, Murray still has four years left on his five-year, $40-milion deal that includes $9 million more guaranteed.

So if the Eagles were to cut him, they would his salary would still count $13-million toward the salary cap. And as far as trades go, it doesn’t look like the market for him would be great for him. The Oakland Raiders, Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks were the three teams most interested in him last year.

But the Raiders and Cowboys both had 1,000-yards running backs in 2015 and the Seahawks have a good, young RB coming back. Plus none of those teams went up to the $8-million-a-year the Eagles did to acquire his services. So I seriously doubt any of the three teams want to pay Murray that kind of money now.

Both sides need to simply see how it goes this year and go from there.

Leaving isn’t always the answer.