The Philadelphia Eagles, like every other team in the NFL, are sifting through the tape they have put together in the early stages of training camp in an attempt to piece together their 53-man roster. Over the past few days, general manager Howie Roseman and the rest of the front office have been rounding out the edges of the roster with a handful of moves, and that continued on Tuesday.
Earlier this week, veteran running back Elijah Mitchell was placed on injured reserve after he suffered an undisclosed injury at training camp. That move would have ended Mitchell’s season before it even began, but the two sides managed to agree to an injury settlement, which led to the former San Francisco 49ers starter’s release.
Eagles Release Elijah Mitchell With Injury Settlement
A sixth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Mitchell burst onto the scene with the Niners as a rookie after he unexpectedly became their starting running back. In 11 games, Mitchell racked up 963 yards and five touchdowns on 207 carries, while also catching 19 passes for 137 yards and another score. From seemingly out of nowhere, it appeared as if San Fran had found its running back of the future.
Of course, the team would eventually go on to pick up Christian McCaffrey in a trade with the Carolina Panthers, which resulted in Mitchell taking a backseat on offense. The problem is that, even if McCaffrey weren’t to have arrived in town, Mitchell simply hasn’t stayed healthy enough in order to make any sort of meaningful contribution as a secondary offensive playmaker.
Mitchell has bounced around the league over the past year or so in an effort to find a new home in the NFL, but he simply has not been able to do so. Another injury dealt him a significant blow with the Eagles, but rather than spending the year on injured reserve, he reached an injury settlement with the team, meaning he will be released and free to sign with another team immediately.
“The Eagles released RB Elijah Mitchell off IR with an injury settlement,” Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reported in a post on X.
Eagles’ Running Back Depth Chart Comes Into Focus With Elijah Mitchell Release
GettyLANDOVER, MARYLAND – DECEMBER 31: Elijah Mitchell #25 of the San Francisco 49ers scores a touchdown during the third quarter of a game against the Washington Commanders at FedExField on December 31, 2023 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
Considering how much depth the Eagles have at the running back position, Mitchell probably faced long odds to make the team out of training camp. Saquon Barkley is the unquestioned leader of this group, with Tank Bigsby and Will Shipley operating behind him. Dameon Pierce is also in the mix, although he may be a practice squad candidate at this point.
Philly could conceivably look to add a replacement for Mitchell, but with roster cuts looming, it probably isn’t necessary. There’s a decent chance Barkley, Bigsby, and Shipley will comprise the running back room to begin the year, with Pierce being on the roster bubble. Roseman and company have some decisions to make here still, but moving on from Mitchell has provided some clarity at this spot.
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