Source: RB Murray intending to join Eagles

Betallsports · Mar 12, 2015

Free-agent running back DeMarco Murray is flying to Philadelphia on Thursday morning to meet with Eagles officials, with the expectation that he will join the team, a league source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

<cite>AP Photo/Ric Tapia</cite>DeMarco Murray is seriously considering leaving Dallas for NFC East rival Philadelphia.

Murray personally reached out to Philadelphia Eagles coach Chip Kelly on Wednesday morning, expressing his desire to play in Kelly's spread offense and with former Oklahoma roommate and quarterback Sam Bradford, league and team sources told ESPN's Chris Mortensen.

Murray's call was enough to jump-start tepid interest from the Eagles, despite their signing of former San Diego Chargers running back Ryan Mathews.
The obstacle for Murray signing with the Eagles still would be money, a source said, as Kelly has made it publicly and privately clear the team will be financially prudent in their personnel decisions.

Aside from the contract, the Eagles are most appealing to Murray because of his belief in their chance to win.

During his discussion with Kelly, a source said Murray characterized Bradford, who was acquired by the Eagles from the Rams on Tuesday, as one of his best friends. Both operated successfully out of Oklahoma's spread offense when they were teammates from 2007-09. Murray also played the 2010 season at Oklahoma after Bradford moved on to the NFL.

"Absolutely. I've been trying my hardest," Bradford said Wednesday of trying to recruit Murray. "I've called him. I've texted him. I've done everything. We've been in communication. If we can somehow land him, it would be a great pickup. Not only is he a great player, he's a great person. He's a really close friend of mine, too. I think he can really help this ball club."

Of course, Murray just won the rushing title in 2014 for the Dallas Cowboys, running behind one of the best offensive lines in the league.

The Cowboys are still monitoring Murray's market in free agency and would like to re-sign him, although Dallas has had numerous chances to re-sign Murray throughout the year and now.

Murray would consider a final, last-minute offer from the Cowboys, a source told Schefter, but he's going to Philadelphia with the intent to sign.

Information from ESPN's Chris Mortensen and Phil Sheridan was used in this report.

Vlad the Impaler · Mar 12, 2015

Suckers. Spend minimum on running backs.

Betallsports · Mar 12, 2015

agree with the article .. this doesn't make sense. The way Kelly's offense is, they don't need more than one running back
He's just pumping up his value with the Cowgirls

Vlad the Impaler · Mar 12, 2015

Between Murray and Matthews, good chance one will have a season ending injury.

Sproles is better than both and fits Chip's jet sweep offense better than others.

VIEJODINOSAUR · Mar 12, 2015

Vlad the Impaler said:
Between Murray and Matthews, good chance one will have a season ending injury.

Sproles is better than both and fits Chip's jet sweep offense better than others.

When Gore goes down, who is left?

5teamparlay · Sep 12, 2015

http://www.wpxi.com/ap/ap/pennsylvania/demarco-murray-aims-for-winning-over-records/nnc75/

[h=1]DeMarco Murray aims for winning over records[/h]
By ROB MAADDI
The Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA —
DeMarco Murray's critics are everywhere.
The guy he replaced says he's not that great. One of the players trying to replace him says he should've been better during a record-setting season. Some analysts say his 2014 performance was a fluke.
The All-Pro running back ignores it all.
"If you're doing something good, there's always going to be critics," Murray said. "I don't look at it as hatred or someone saying anything bad. I just really don't pay attention to it whether it's good or negative. I just work hard and try to improve as much as I can."
Murray is ready to make his debut with the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night at Atlanta. He is coming off an outstanding season in Dallas in which he helped the Cowboys win the NFC East title, broke Emmitt Smith's franchise record with a league-leading 1,845 yards rushing, and also set an NFL record with eight straight 100-yard games to open the season.
But the Cowboys didn't reward him with a deal he wanted so the Eagles lured him away with a $42 million, five-year contract in free agency. The Eagles already had signed 2011 Pro Bowl pick Ryan Mathews and had the versatile Darren Sproles when Murray decided to join a crowded backfield.
"It's all about winning," Murray said. "At the end of the day, it doesn't matter how you get it accomplished. For me, it's always been about winning, whether it's high school, college or the pro level.
"Obviously you're a competitor and you want to go out there and lead the group and you want to work as hard as you can work, but the only thing that matters is wins, not yards, not records, none of that stuff."
Murray doesn't have to carry the workload the way he did in Dallas. Murray, Mathews and Sproles give Chip Kelly plenty of options in his up-tempo offense. LeSean McCoy had his best season playing for Kelly in 2013 when he set a franchise-record for yards rushing. But Kelly traded McCoy to Buffalo for linebacker Kiko Alonso. McCoy still isn't over it.
"I think Murray's good, but I don't see him as competition as far as the best backs," McCoy said in an interview with GQ Magazine.
Murray's response: "At some point, you've got to move on with your life and career."
Joseph Randle, Murray's backup in Dallas, said he should have had more yards rushing but left "meat on the bone." Others say Murray was a product of an excellent offensive line and his production will decline in Philadelphia. Some point to his 497 touches last year and anticipate a major drop-off.
Not Murray's college coach.
"He's always in great condition and shape," Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said. "He works really hard in the offseason and he's stronger and more physical than people give him credit for. He's as strong and physical as anybody I've ever coached and people have now seen that the last couple years."
Murray is one of Stoops' favorite players. He's a quiet, humble and very private person. In many ways, he's the opposite of the outspoken and flashy McCoy. It's no secret Kelly prefers guys like Murray on his team.
"He's still incredibly confident and he's an incredibly bright person," Stoops said. "He was a great student. He knows what he wants in his life and he knows what matters. He goes about his business very professionally. Even as a younger kid, he did. That's just his makeup."