Eagles Film Review: Should D’Andre Swift be back?

It’s the NFL offseason, so, it’s time to get into the Eagles’ upcoming free brokers earlier than we get into draft season. This time, I’m going to take a look at D’Andre Swift who signed for the Eagles final yr.

Beforehand: Haason Reddick review.

Stats

• The essential numbers look actually good however among the underlying ones should not nice.
• I’m a bit stunned he ranked 18th in explosive price contemplating how good the offensive line was. I hoped he could be within the prime 10 contemplating his model.
• Rating forty eighth in yards after contact isn’t nice, but it surely’s additionally not surprising contemplating Swift’s working model. He ranked 14th in missed tackles forces which highlights his model.
• I’m not going to faux to be an knowledgeable in working again stats. So I don’t actually know the way that is measured. However rating thirty seventh in ‘Dashing Yards over Expectation per try’ doesn’t really feel nice, does it?

Strengths

I’m not going to do strengths and weaknesses like I usually would do with a brand new signing, as a result of I broke down D’Andre Swift final yr! You’ll be able to learn it here. I’m going to make use of among the similar feedback from final yr’s evaluation however replace the article with some clips from this yr and replace them if I really feel I have to.

+ He is among the most explosive backs you will note. He seems like he’s shot out of a cannon at occasions. He beats individuals continuously along with his acceleration. He doesn’t decelerate when he has to barely change course or when catching the soccer.

+ He’s effectively constructed for his measurement and is probably not an influence runner, however he can run via poor arm tackles with out slowing down and stiff arm defenders away from him.

+ He’s excellent in area, particularly on quick passes and screens. His burst and acceleration are improbable when he has room to run into.

+ Excellent agility, particularly in tight areas. His footwork is excellent and he can burst in several instructions with ease.

+ His use of tempo is improbable. You see defenders take unhealthy angles so continuously and it’s as a result of he can cease and begin on a dime. His tempo mixed along with his elite acceleration to burst previous defenders.

+ He’s a terrific route runner and can be a nightmare for any linebacker. He’s actually good on angle routes however he has the pace to run wheel routes too.

+ He’s not simply an outdoor runner who wants area and he exhibits imaginative and prescient and nuance on inside carries to comply with his blocks and discover gaps.

+ Got here from an offense that runs quite a lot of hole/zone and from shotgun/below middle. He’s versatile.

Weaknesses

– I had this as a power final yr

“Greater than keen as a cross protector. You don’t need him cross defending that always, however he can do it.”

I’d change my opinion after watching him this yr. I don’t suppose he’s a terrific cross protector in any respect.

– Isn’t the kind of again to fall ahead and push a pile. He’s not constructed to be a ‘foundational’ again. He’s a ‘characteristic’ again at greatest.

– He could be responsible of doing an excessive amount of at occasions. Generally there’s an apparent lane with blockers in entrance and he’ll attempt to do the inconceivable.

– He doesn’t have elite ‘wiggle’. He’s extra straight-line quick and received’t at all times make defenders miss one-on-one except he has pace already constructed up. He’s not like a Shady McCoy who would break ankles along with his jukes within the backfield.

– I’ve stolen this one from the legend Jimmy Kempski, however Swift at all times appears to worsen because the season progresses. The numbers again this up.

– I don’t perceive what occurred to him within the receiving recreation. 23 of his 39 receptions got here within the first 6 weeks of the season.

-Harm historical past the previous 3 years has clearly impacted his profession. Some attention-grabbing information right here by way of Draft Sharks, who outline him as having a ‘very excessive threat’ of harm subsequent yr.

General

So, it’s truthful to say that I obtained the Eagles’ working again rotation very fallacious final yr. I anticipated Swift and Rashaad Penny to be a 1a/1b model of assault. That didn’t occur, did it? I nonetheless suppose my evaluation was fairly truthful on Swift. I believe Swift is an explosive as they arrive, however is just not as dominant on a per-snap foundation as you prefer to from an impressive working again and he generally is a irritating watch at occasions.

It didn’t take lengthy for me to fall in love along with his movie as soon as once more. My goodness. Swift is among the most explosive working backs you will note and he’s the right match for the Eagles. He’s principally a greater, extra explosive model of Kenny Gainwell. I like Gainwell, however watch the 2 aspect by aspect and it’s not shut. Swift is simply extra explosive.

I’m an enormous believer in highly effective working backs on early downs who can break tackles (it’s simply my philosophy) so I wouldn’t need Swift to be my ‘foundational’ or beginning working again. Pairing him with Rashaad Penny is simply good. I count on Penny to take a lot of the early down work and Swift to be on the sector on each third down. It’s such an superior backfield (if they’re each wholesome in fact). I might see Penny taking about 55% of the carries and Swift having round 35% with 5-7 targets per recreation. The Eagles haven’t focused their working backs a lot lately however… the Eagles haven’t had D’Andre Swift lately. He’s so significantly better than Sanders out of the backfield. I ponder if the Eagles will use extra 2-back units with each Penny and Swift on the sector too, after which movement Swift to huge receiver.

So would I re-sign Swift? I’d not except the Eagles can get him again on an affordable 1-year deal. I do like Swift, and I’m not against him returning, I simply suppose the Eagles should be cautious about overspending on a working again who is just not within the elite tier of backs.

If a group goes to pay Swift the kind of deal and cash that Miles Sanders obtained final yr then I’d cross. Miles Sanders obtained 4 years $25m with $13m assured. I guess they remorse that deal.

Spotrac have Swift predicted to get 4 years $27m which might pay him because the eighth greatest working again on a per-year foundation. I’m not positive that Swift is nice sufficient to be paid as a top-10 expertise on the place. I’d assume the assured cash would look just like Sanders on this case, and I believe Swift is a extra gifted again, so I wouldn’t need to commit greater than $13m to him. I believe Swift is a particularly gifted again who suits the offense effectively, so I can see why the Eagles employees would need to carry him again.

If the Eagles do determine to carry again Swift, I’d hope they’re a 1 yr ‘show it’ model deal the place they don’t trigger cap issues down the road. Josh Jacobs obtained 1 yr $11m final yr and I believe he’s a much better again than Swift, so I’d guess the Eagles might get Swift for a bit lower than that. I believe Swift is a extremely good participant, and I utterly admit that I’m biased in the kind of working again I would like the Eagles to construct round and Swift simply isn’t my kind. If Swift is again, I hope that doesn’t cease the Eagles from including a gifted again within the draft both.