LeSean McCoy led the NFL with 366 total touches in 2013.
In the past four years since McCoy became the franchise's feature back, the No. 2 running backs on the Eagles roster have a combined 301 touches. McCoy has surpassed that total twice in the past three years (321 touches in 2011 was the other).
This offseason, the Eagles added another dynamic offensive weapon in the backfield when they acquired veteran Darren Sproles in a trade with the New Orleans Saints. Sproles leads all running backs since 2007 in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns. He also has 2,221 career rushing yards on his résumé.
How will head coach Chip Kelly incorporate a player with the versatility of Sproles into an offense that already features the player who gained the most rushing and all-purpose yards in franchise history last season in McCoy? The All-Pro McCoy looks at the addition as a positive one.
"I think, to be honest, Sproles has really helped me out," McCoy said. "Just another option, another type of look, formation that teams will have to be aware of."
McCoy sees an added benefit in mixing Sproles into the offense - reducing his workload and maximizing his output, especially late in games.
"If he takes some of the load off, and in that fourth quarter I'm fresh; I know a defense won't like to see that," McCoy said.
McCoy was already an outstanding closer for the Eagles. Last year, McCoy led the league with 441 yards (a gaudy 5.96 yards-per-carry average) in the fourth quarter. In the Snow Bowl win over Detroit last season, McCoy glistened with 148 yards in the fourth quarter en route to a franchise single-game record of 217 yards. At just 25 years old, McCoy already owns the NFL record with seven career touchdown runs of 40-or-more yards in the fourth quarter.
Looking spry at the Organized Team Activities, McCoy said he's showing no ill effects from last season's increased workload. Now, the Eagles add Sproles to the league's top-ranked rushing unit. In the end, McCoy wants to see his team take the next step in 2014.
"Everybody knows we finished a little bit earlier than we expected," McCoy said. "I think the major goal is to go farther than we did last year and hopefully go to the playoffs again and get that chip (championship)."
