Contract extension has Sproles motivated
PHILADELPHIA >> Eagles running back-kick returner Darren Sproles says he has two good years of football left in his 181-pound frame.
“This year and next,” the 10year veteran said after signing a one-year contract extension Friday that will keep him on the payroll through 2017. After that, Sproles indicated it would be time for him to hang up the cleats, which is basically what he meant saying, “when I’m done playing, I’m going to be an Eagle. It means a lot.”
Sproles, the 5-6 product of Kansas State, still has fuel in the tank at 33. The man of few words is coming off his second straight trip to the Pro Bowl as a return specialist. Last season, Sproles averaged 11.7 yards on 38 punt returns, running two in for scores. It was the second straight year he led the NFL in punt return touchdowns.
Sproles also rushed for 317 yards and three touchdowns and caught 55 passes, including one for a TD.
Head coach Doug Pederson wants to see if Sproles is up to handling a larger role in the offense.
“I think he’s a freakish athlete,” Pederson said. “Going into it right now, I’m not going to limit him. I want to see how much I can give him and see how much he can handle. Then we’ll kind of go from there.”
The Eagles have more bodies than proven players at running back. Ryan Mathews is up to his old injury ways, having suffered a sprained ankle in training, not running through the tackles. Pederson hopes to have him back next week. Didn’t say anything about whether Mathews would be available the following week, or the week after that and so on.
To run the West Coast offense effectively, the Eagles need a change of pace back with a burst, vision and breakaway speed. Someone like Sproles, maybe four or five years ago?
Sproles is all for an expanded role. The Eagles had him when they extended his contract.
Typically the younger Eagles players are rewarded with extensions. Sproles and Brent Celek, the 31-year-old tight end who signed a three-year, $13 million pact, are notable exceptions.
“It feels good,” Sproles said. “The thing is it says a lot because I’m 33 years old. For them to give me an extra year, I think it says a lot.”
The Sproles extension was worth $4.5 million per the NFL Network, although some of the money was moved into this year. Sproles was due $3.5 million in base pay this season.
“Any time, in my opinion, that you can have a playmaker like Darren Sproles and you can keep him locked up for a couple of years, it makes you feel good,” Pederson said. “I’m just so happy for him and his family and the fact that the work that Howie (Roseman) put in to make sure this thing got done.”
Football operations chief Roseman described Sproles as a talented player and a good guy off the field, the latter a sore spot right now for the franchise dealing with another off-the-field issue in the form of Nigel Bradham, the linebacker arrested for allegedly assaulting a hotel worker.
“He’s a mismatch in the passing game,” Roseman said of Sproles. “Every time he’s back in punt return a big play can happen. And then again his work ethic, and the presence he has in our locker room. You ask any of our players and they know when they go to Darren what he signifies.”
Pederson feels he has “a lot of talent” at running back, although there hasn’t been a lot of evidence lately to back that up.
“Kenjon Barner is a kid that has shown some good strides this offseason picking up the offense,” Pederson said. “And you’ve got Ryan out there, you’ve got Darren. And then you’ve got the young kids — Wendell (Smallwood) we picked up and Byron Marshall and Cedric O’Neal and the rest of the guys that have some talent. I love playing with two tight ends. I like playing with double halfbacks. It’s a chance to get all these guys some reps down the stretch now during this tough time.”