LeGarrette Blount finally has found a new home.
After toiling on the free agent market for more than two months, the 30-year-old running back on Wednesday agreed to terms on a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles, the team announced. The deal is worth up to $2.8 million, sources told NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.
#Eagles and RB LeGarrette Blount agree to terms on a one-year deal. #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/8m69XCXgGR
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) May 17, 2017
The Arizona Cardinals “also had some mild interest” in the veteran back, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Blount carried the ball 299 times for 1,161 yards and an NFL-best 18 touchdowns with the New England Patriots last season, setting career highs in all three categories.
The Patriots chose not to re-sign Blount this offseason, instead bringing in running backs Rex Burkhead and Mike Gillislee. But they did place the seldom-used May 9 tender on him, meaning he would count toward New England’s compensatory draft pick formula if another team signed him before July 22. Because the Eagles did just that, the Patriots could have an additional pick coming their way in the 2018 NFL Draft.
“Obviously, LeGarrette had a tremendous amount of success with New England last year, rushing for over 1,000 yards and scoring 18 touchdowns and winning a Super Bowl,” Eagles executive vice president of football operations Howie Roseman said Wednesday, via the team’s official website. “He sets the tempo for your team as a running back. …
“For us, people are going to see that his size is what jumps out at you, but he’s also got quick feet for a big man. He has a complementary skill set that works well in our backfield.”
In Philadelphia, Blount will compete for carries with Ryan Mathews, Darren Sproles, Wendell Smallwood and rookies Donnel Pumphrey and Corey Clement. The Patriots, meanwhile, enter offseason workouts with a running back stable of Gillislee, Burkhead, James White, Dion Lewis, Brandon Bolden and D.J. Foster.
Former Patriots defensive end Chris Long also signed with the Eagles earlier this offseason.
Thumbnail photo via Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports Images
