Dolphins trade Ajayi to Philly for pick

The NFL-leading Eagles bolstered their running attack Tuesday, acquiring Jay Ajayi from the Dolphins for a 2018 fourth-round draft pick hours before the trade deadline. Ajayi has 465 yards rushing and is averaging 3.4 yards per carry with no touchdowns. He went to the Pro Bowl last season after running for 1,272 yards, including three 200yard games. “We like our running back group,” Eagles vice president of football operations Howie Roseman said. “This was an opportunity that came to us, a good player who could add to our team. He’s a young player who is under contract for the next couple years.” Dolphins coach Adam Gase signaled his displeasure with Ajayi last week after Miami was routed 40-0 at Baltimore, noting missed blocking assignments in pass protection.

“The running back, we never blocked the right guy,” Gase said. “I don’t even know if we know who we’ve got. We’ve got to get that fixed.”

LeGarrette Blount leads Philadelphia with 467 yards rushing and is averaging 4.7 yards a carry with two touchdowns. Roseman said Blount remains the starter and he’s confident Ajayi won’t create problems.

BILLS: Buffalo upgraded its patchwork group of receivers by agreeing to acquire Kelvin Benjamin in a trade with the Panthers.

Carolina acquired Buffalo’s third- and seventh-round picks in next year’s draft in making the deal reached just before the trade deadline.

Benjamin has had spotty production over two-plus seasons. He was selected by the Panthers in the first round of the 2014 draft, but missed the entire 2015 season with a knee injury.

Panthers general manager Marty Hurney said the trade came together just before the deadline.

“Buffalo had expressed interest and we wanted to put more of a mix of skill sets on the field and add some speed,” Hurney said. “We decided it was the right move.”

BROWNS: A proposed trade between Cleveland and Cincinnati involving quarterback A.J. McCarron fell through when paperwork was not filed to the NFL before the 4 p.m. deadline.

The teams had an agreement in place, sending McCarron to Cleveland, but paperwork did not arrive at the league office in time, said league spokesman Brian McCarthy. He did not provide any further detail about why the transaction wasn’t finalized.

The Browns have had an interest in McCarron for some time. Cleveland coach Hue Jackson worked with him when he was the offensive coordinator in Cincinnati.