Yesterday, Michael Silver of Yahoo Sports reported that the Eagles could be interested in Albert Haynesworth and Plaxcio Burress, citing a source that told him the Eagles were ready to “go for it.”
While Reggie Bush of the New Orlean Saints was mentioned as a possibility, their was no report that the team was interested.
Will the Eagles pursue Reggie Bush? Yes, says a recent report.
Until now.
The Sporting News is now reporting that according to a source, the Eagles are indeed interested in the soon to be free agent running back.
It has been widely accepted around the league that Bush has played his last game with the Saints, and the teams drafting of Mark Ingraham in the first round only backed that up. Bush tweeting his good bye to Saints fans minutes after the selection only fueled the fire.
Clearly everything is speculation at this point, but for many reasons I do not believe Bush will be an Eagle this season.
First, there really is no place for Bush on the team. LeSean McCoy is just as good, if not better, as a pass catching option out of the back field- which is the primary way the Eagles like to get production out of their running back. Signing Bush would only take away touches from McCoy, something that Reid did not sound ready to do yesterday when he said that McCoy showed he could be a full time back.
Bush could help this team on special teams, giving DeSean Jackson a much needed break from carrying the whole unit on his back. But Bush is not going to sign somewhere just to return punts- and the amount of money it will take to sign him won’t be worth it.
Recent draft pick Dion Lewis gives the Eagles everything Bush does- for less money
The drafting of Dion Lewis from Pittsburgh is another reason the Eagles likely will not pursue Bush. Lewis is the same kind of back as Bush, but faster, younger, and cheaper. He also is smaller, something that helps in the screen game, and in the running game. A knock on Bush coming out of college was that he ran with his body up straight, and that has proven to be true.
Finally, Bush is not a up the middle, hard nose runner- which is the attribute the Eagles do need in a running back. No need for the Birds to bring in a less talented version of a running back they already have two of. Let alone a back who will come in expecting touches on an offense that does not have enough to go around as it is.
Sources can speculate all they want, but the logic does not add up. Plaxcio could help this team in the red zone. Haynesworth, if he plays up to his potential, is a game changer at a position the Eagles need. But Bush would bring very little to a team, and an offense, that does not need him.
