The league’s top rushing offense in yards and touchdowns from last season, and this season’s last remaining unbeaten team, was still looking to get better by the trade deadline. The Eagles were able to acquire some pass rushing help, adding defensive end Robert Quinn in a trade with the Bears, but despite attempts at multiple prospects, they were unable bring in a big name at running back, according to Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports. 
Last year’s top rushing team was led by then-second-year quarterback Jalen Hurts and his 784 rushing yards. A number of running backs contributed behind Hurts, the main contributor being lead back Miles Sanders with his 754 rushing yards. Boston Scott was next on the depth chart, starting four of the five games Sanders missed and adding 373 yards on 87 carries. After spending much of the beginning of the year on the practice squad, Jordan Howard came up to the active roster and rushed for 406 yards on one less carry than Scott. Then-rookie Kenneth Gainwell rounded out the group with 291 yards rushing.
So why did last year’s top rushing offense need a new running back? It appears that Philadelphia was targeting running backs that could catch passes out of the backfield. The rookie Gainwell served as the Eagles’ pass catching back in 2021, nearly matching his rushing total with 253 yards on 33 catches. Sanders, naturally, caught some passes as the starter, as well, grabbing 26 receptions for 158 yards. According to Vacchiano, the two most talked about targets for the Eagles at the trade deadline were Browns running back Kareem Hunt and former Colts running back Nyheim Hines.
Hunt displayed his proficiency as a pass catching back during his early years in Kansas City. Hunt’s two years with the Chiefs were his biggest receiving seasons with 455 yards on 53 receptions as a rookie and 378 yards on 26 catches in Year 2. Since leaving Kansas City, Hunt has taken the backseat to Nick Chubb in Cleveland. The Browns expected him to fill both the roles of Carlos Hyde, Chubb’s primary backup, and Duke Johnson, the team’s pass catching specialist out of the backfield. Although Chubb does a good amount of receiving himself in Cleveland, Hunt has, for all intents and purposes, filled those roles when available.
Hines has cut his teeth in the NFL as a pass catching running back. In five years since coming out of NC State, he has accumulated more receiving yards (1,725) than rushing yards (1,205). Hines has spent his…