the philadelphia eagles have an open list after cutting Craig James last week. And it looks like they’ll be looking to fill that vacancy before the team’s first practice of the team’s 2022 training camp on Wednesday.
The Birds are working with several free agents at the NovaCare Complex on Monday, according to my BGN Radio co-host. Jimmy Kempski.
The identity of only one of those players has been revealed as I write these words. On Sunday afternoon, chris tomasson of St. Paul Pioneer Press reported that the Eagles would be signing ex dallas cowboys running back JaQuan Hardy. Tomasson has since clarified that Hardy has not yet signed but “there is optimism about a signing.”
Just a theory, but perhaps the confusion here can be explained because the Eagles don’t want non-Hardy test players to think they’re wasting their time by showing up. And that the roster spot already goes to him regardless of how training goes? Again, just guessing.
In any case, Hardy would be a sensible signing for the Birds. They he currently only has five riders under contract, which is a little light. Speaking of light, Hardy is the complete opposite relative to other players in his position. At 5’10”, 225 pounds, Hardy would be the heaviest running back on the Eagles’ roster. Second-heaviest is undrafted rookie free agent Kennedy Brooks, who is two pounds heavier than Miles Sanders.
With the Eagles opting not to re-sign Jordan Howard, they lack a true “biggest back” on their roster. Hardy can fill that mold for them.
Of course, size for size’s sake isn’t that valuable. Is hardy good?
The I was a productive player at Division II out of Tiffin University, recording 501 carries for 3,207 yards (6.4 average) and 28 touchdowns. Hardy did not play in 2020 because the pandemic shut down his team’s soccer program. He later joined the Dallas Cowboys as a rookie free agent after the 2021 NFL Draft.
During the 2021 preseason, Hardy had 26 carries for 77 yards (2.96 average). He then spent most of his rookie season on the Cowboys’ practice squad, but saw four carries for 29 yards and a touchdown (which came against the Eagles in Week 18 last year).
Hardy was in position to contend for a roster spot as the third running back in Dallas this year before he was waived earlier this month. This is what our enemies do blogging the boys recently wrote about him:
Hardy is a 2021 hard knocks Tiffin College Division II favorite and standout.
Although Hardy comes from a Division II program, he has the size and speed to compete at the NFL level. He is 5’10” and weighs 225 pounds and also runs a 4.56 sprint for 40 yards. In college, he was dominant, scoring 31 total touchdowns in just 33 games. In his senior year at Tiffin he rushed for 1,554 yards on just 204 carries, that’s an average of 7.6 yards per touch. If a Division II level player wants to take a look at the pro level, that’s the kind of stat line he should have. You have to literally dominate your opponent every chance you get.
Going into the 2021 season, the Cowboys were on HBO’s series Hard Knocks. Starting from that series, many people got their first look at Hardy, and by the end of the show, he was a fan favorite. TV show aside, Hardy got his chance in the NFL by appearing in three games his rookie year. As seen in this highlight, Hardy made the most of his chance against the Philadelphia Eagles. Aside from this highlight, Hardy did most of the work for him on special teams, as he appeared in 66% of the special teams snaps in three games played.
From his tape in college and early in his NFL journey, he shows off a good burst, but appears to be faster than straight. He is also very cunning. Like Dowdle, Hardy also has that tendency to put the ball on the ground more than you’d like and he’s also not much of a pass-catching threat.
Assuming the Eagles do sign him, Hardy will need to deliver a strong training camp and preseason to earn a roster spot. Sanders, Boston Scott and Kenneth Gainwell are listed to be part of the team. Hardy, Brooks and Jason Huntley are likely to compete for fourth place. Although it may not be impossible for them to keep five.
One would assume that the other free agents the Eagles are working on fit into a similar bucket with Hardy’s background. That is, less experienced players compared to renowned veterans.