NFL Rumors: Tennessee Titans Acquiring DeMarco Murray From Philadelphia Eagles

NFL rumors have been swirling around DeMarco Murray from the moment it was realized that he was an awful fit with the high octane offense that Chip Kelly had installed for the Philadelphia Eagles. With general manager Howie Roseman back in charge of the Eagles, a lot of players acquired by Kelly are being shopped, according to ESPN. Reports have now surfaced that Murray is being traded to the Tennessee Titans.

Tennessee finalizing deal for Eagles RB DeMarco Murray, league sources tell ESPN. Trade expected to be complete for new league year Weds

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 8, 2016

Chip Kelly likes to run a horizontal offensive scheme, where players stretch the field to gain an advantage on the defense. DeMarco Murray was at his best with the Dallas Cowboys when he was allowed to run north and south behind one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. For whatever reason, Kelly felt that Murray was a good fit for the Philadelphia Eagles and handed him a contract worth $40 million, much more than what Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was willing to shell out.

DeMarco Murray ended up being benched, and he was not the least bit happy about that. The former Oklahoma Sooners star reportedly went directly to Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrie Lurie to voice his complaints during a plane ride back to Pennsylvania. When Chip Kelly was fired at the end of the season, the belief was that Murray would be placated enough to stick around, but it turns out that the team no longer wanted him at this point.

When the Philadelphia Eagles informed DeMarco Murray that his services would no longer be required, the Las Vegas native went immediately to work. Murray and his agent, Bill Johnson, started contacting teams around the NFL to gauge their interest. Despite having a really bad season with the Eagles, there was some interest in DeMarco. Murray and Johnson decided that the Tennessee Titans would be the best fit for the 28-year-old running back.

While the official announcement of the deal will not be made until Wednesday, the belief is that there will be a late round selection in the upcoming NFL Draft involved. Running backs are not as valued as other positions, especially those that are on a $40 million contract. There’s a very good chance that the Tennessee Titans are only giving up a seventh round draft pick in order to acquire the services of Murray.

If DeMarco Murray comes anywhere close to reaching the 1,845 yards that he produced for the Dallas Cowboys during his final season with the team, then the Tennessee Titans will do much better than their NFL worst 3-13 record. The odds of Murray reaching those numbers are very slim, however, as the Tennessee Titans do not have nearly as dominating of an offensive line as the one anchored by Tyron Smith, Travis Frederick and Zack Martin.

Antonio Andrews was the leading rusher for the Tennessee Titans last season. He was able to rush for 520 yards, but he only average 3.6 yards per carry. Those are numbers that DeMarco Murray can surpass. The Titans own the first overall selection in the upcoming NFL Draft, and there were talks that they were going to use one of the early rounds to find a new running back, but with Murray in the fold now it’s not as big of a priority as it was before.

The Philadelphia Eagles were looking to shed some unwanted parts. DeMarco Murray wanted a new home in the NFL. The Tennessee Titans were looking to upgrade their rushing attack. With this one trade, all three sides get what they want.

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