DeMarco Murray to meet with Eagles
Free-agent running back DeMarco Murray is flying to Philadelphia to meet with Eagles officials, with the expectation that he will join the team, a league source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Thursday.
In the ensuing hours Thursday, theDallas Cowboysbegan calling around looking for other running backs, expecting that they will lose Murray, Schefter's sources said.
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 theiragreeing Wednesday to sign former San Diego Chargers running back Ryan Mathews to a three-year, $11.5 million deal that includes $5 million guaranteed.
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. Kelly did not go to Oregon's pro day Thursday, opting to remain in Philadelphia to meet and greet Murray.
Aside from the contract, the Eagles are the 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 through 2009. 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.
