Philadelphia Eagles: An argument for Adrian Killins making their roster

 

Will Adrian Killins Jr make the Philadelphia Eagles roster?

One of the most intriguing position battles to watch in Philadelphia Eagles training camp and during the preseason will be the competition for what might be the fourth running back spot. Speculation around adding a veteran has died down, and though there are ideas about who will earn the job, everyone’s going to get their shot.

We’ve seen the Eagles go deep into their running back depth chart in recent seasons and it’s paid off big time. In 2017, Corey Clement was an undrafted free agent who barely made the cut. He finished the season with 493 all-purpose yards and six touchdowns and had 100 receiving yards and a touchdown in Philly’s first-ever Super Bowl win.

In 2018, Josh Adams didn’t even make the initial roster but got promoted from the practice squad a few weeks into the season. Jay Ajayi, Corey Clement, and Darren Sproles all went down with injuries that year and Adams became the lead back, rushing for 511 yards and three touchdowns on 120 carries in 14 games with five starts. He also added 58 receiving yards on seven catches.

Boston Scott was the unexpected hero of the most recent season. Like Adams, he didn’t make the Eagles initial roster and wasn’t promoted to the active unit until mid-October. We didn’t get an extended look at him until week 14 versus the New York Giants where he helped save the season with 128 total yards and a touchdown on 16 touches. A few weeks later, we saw him become the ‘Giant Slayer’ once again with 138 total yards and three touchdowns on 23 touches to help the "Birds” clinch the division in New York.

Needless to say, it’s clear that depth at the running back position has been huge for the Eagles in recent seasons. Without the front office bringing in the right guys and the coaches preparing them for action, the last few seasons could have played out differently.

In 2020, it feels like three guys are all vying for one spot on the roster, Adrian Killins Jr could have the edge in terms of big-play ability. Clement, Adams, and Scott are all expected to earn spots, and all three provide their own spark, but Killins could provide immediate impact for a different reason.

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To me Killins has a better shot as a wr than he does as a running back. He seems like a guy who can get stashed on the practice squad for a year to learn the position, and then compete for a spot once DJax and Goodwin are gone.

Certainly he makes sense on gadget plays, but are they willing to burn a roster spot when other guys like Reagor can probably be used in the same way?

At RB, I think Holyfield, Clement and Warren are competing for one spot, and Killins and the two who don't make it are headed for the PS.

14 minutes ago, jsb235 said:

To me Killins has a better shot as a wr than he does as a running back. He seems like a guy who can get stashed on the practice squad for a year to learn the position, and then compete for a spot once DJax and Goodwin are gone.

Certainly he makes sense on gadget plays, but are they willing to burn a roster spot when other guys like Reagor can probably be used in the same way?

At RB, I think Holyfield, Clement and Warren are competing for one spot, and Killins and the two who don't make it are headed for the PS.

Eagles always keep 4 RBs. Only locks are Sanders and Scott. 2 more will make it not 1. Killins has a shot, esp since Holyfield, Clement and Warren are all similar style backs. Wouldnt surprise me though if another back not currently on the team makes the final roster. But Killins has a decent chance if one is not brought in. 

Once pads go on how they perform will make the argument for who to keep on the roster.  

Maybe returner? Dude is small though.

No way they keep two little guys. It's unfortunate but the only way he sees the roster is if Scott gets hurt. 

Boston Scott is listed at 5' 6" 203, Killins is 5' 8" 177 per the Eagles web site. 177 lbs. in the NFL ain't a lot if they're expecting durability. Time will tell, I guess.

2 hours ago, eglz1 said:

Boston Scott is listed at 5' 6" 203, Killins is 5' 8" 177 per the Eagles web site. 177 lbs. in the NFL ain't a lot if they're expecting durability. Time will tell, I guess.

And he's not even that big. I don't see him as a full time RB, but he could be a WR and gadget play guy.

I don't mind short RBs like Sproles and Scott. I have zero expectations for RBs that are too light. These guys can be pretty dynamic in Arena Football as 2-way players, but in the NFL RBs have to be able to break tackles. I'm not sure what the Eagles' fascination is with the Pumphrey type. In this day and age, you can find big RBs like Barkley that can run as fast as anyone. If you're looking for a project, why look into guys that are unlikely to put on much muscle mass while keeping their speed and quickness?

 

Obviously I don't know what will happen, but my gut feeling is that he probably won't make it. 

11 hours ago, PoconoDon said:

Obviously I don't know what will happen, but my gut feeling is that he probably won't make it. 

Yeah same here. I just think he's too slow for the NFL especially at the position he plays. 

18 hours ago, jsb235 said:

And he's not even that big. I don't see him as a full time RB, but he could be a WR and gadget play guy.

Theme for 2020 - add speed, youth, and gadget play guys.  

48 minutes ago, time2rock said:

Theme for 2020 - add speed, youth, and gadget play guys.  

Yeah I mean how many gadget play guys can one team have? 😁

24 minutes ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

Yeah I mean how many gadget play guys can one team have? 😁

I think the limit is 53...

2 hours ago, PoconoDon said:

I think the limit is 53...

Wentz isn't a gadget player so let's settle at 52.

😉

So is Killins in the running for this years Nasty Nate award? Seems like there a few articles already out on how great he is.

16 hours ago, pallidrone said:

So is Killins in the running for this years Nasty Nate award? Seems like there a few articles already out on how great he is.

He's a good candidate for it. That player who due to his speed etc could excite but due to his size perhaps won't ever get going.