Eagles acquire Pro Bowl running back Ajayi from Dolphins
Oct 31(The Sports Xchange) - The Philadelphia Eagles acquired Pro Bowl running back Jay Ajayi from the Miami Dolphins on Tuesday for a fourth-round pick in the 2018 draft.
The swap came just hours before Tuesday's 4 p.m. ET trade deadline.
Ajayi joins a backfield in Philadelphia that also includes offseason acquisition LeGarrette Blount. The Eagles own the NFL's fifth-ranked run offense, earning 129.2 yards per game on 30.8 rush attempts.
The 24-year-old Ajayi has rushed for 465 yards this season on 138 carries, but has been held out of the end zone. He has seen his rushing average drop from 4.9 yards per game in 2016 to 3.4 this season.
Ajayi rushed for just 23 yards on 14 carries in a 40-0 rout by the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday. The performance drew criticism from Dolphins coach Adam Gase, who did not mention Ajayi by name.
"We've got to stop trying to hit home runs all the time," Gase said. "It's on the running back. Do your job. It's not hard to do."
Ajayi has rushed for 1,924 yards and nine touchdowns in 31 career games for Miami since being selected in the fifth round of the 2015 draft out of Boise State.
He is signed through 2018 on a four-year, $2.5 million contract.
The Dolphins likely will turn to second-year running back Kenyan Drake as their starter. Drake has just 25 rushing yards this season on 10 carries. (Editing by Steve Keating in Toronto.)
