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NFL Rumors: LeSean McCoy could take a pay cut for Eagles

By Luke Dahlgren

Dec 28, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy (25) runs with the ball against the New York Giants in the first quarter during the game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 28, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy (25) runs with the ball against the New York Giants in the first quarter during the game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Philadelphia Eagles running back struggled early during the 2014 season, and the team may need him to scale back his contract.

The Eagles may be looking to scale back the contract of their star running back. The Philadelphia Eagles have already cut veteran offensive lineman Todd Herremans, and they could trim their cap hit down by targeting other veteran players.

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Even LeSean McCoy’s contract may not be safe as the Eagles may look to restructure his five-year deal he signed in 2012.

From Philly.com:

"McCoy’s 2015 cap number is $11.9 million, second highest among NFL running backs to Adrian Peterson ($15.4 million). Throw in Darren Sproles’ $4.1 million cap number and have $16 million of the Eagles’ 2015 salary cap (expected to be around $140 million) invested at running back."

Sproles may be the first back the Eagles turn to for restructuring. While his versatility proved useful for the Eagles while he was healthy, the veteran back often only received a handful of offensive touches per game, which limited his impact comparative to his salary. If Chip Kelly plans to utilize Sproles in the same fashion as he did last year, it would be shrewd to adjust his contract before turning to McCoy.

McCoy addressed the rumors of a contract renegotiation weeks earlier, stating that he would accept restructuring his contract, but would not look to cut his salary overall.

While on the Eagles, McCoy was among the best running backs in the league along with Kansas City’s Jamaal Charles, Seattle’s Marshawn Lynch, Chicago’s Matt Forte and, last season’s suspension-based absence aside, Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson. After the 2014 season, The Steelers’ LeVeon Bell and the Cowboys’ DeMarco Murray can likely be added to that list.

Of those running backs, McCoy is the most dangerous in the open field, and his usage in Kelly’s offense has opposing linebackers off-balance and defensive backs cheating towards the box. A large part of his success has been due to his offensive line’s ability to propel him to the second level so he can operate in the open field, and when injuries and poor play on the line afflicted the Eagles early last season, McCoy struggled mightily.

The Eagles top two priorities during this offseason are to reconstruct the secondary and secure the offensive line. Releasing Herremans may be a step in the wrong direction, but with a number of overpriced veterans on the payroll for the Eagles, giving the team as much flexibility as possible would be the smartest move as the NFL heads into the heart of the free agency signing period.

[H/T: Philadelphia Inquirer]

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