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According to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Caplan, the Philadelphia Eagles worked out free agent running back Kenjon Barner on Monday.
#Eagles worked out RB Kenjon Barner on Monday.
— Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) October 28, 2014
This is the second time since October 11th that the Eagles have brought Barner in for a workout. It might not be the last.
The 25-year-old Barner was originally acquired by Philadelphia in a trade with the Carolina Panthers during mid-August. The Eagles surrendered a conditional 7th round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft in order to reunite Barner with former Oregon Ducks and current Eagles head coach Chip Kelly. The condition involved Barner spending four games on Philadelphia's active game-day roster.
Barner recorded 12 rushing attempts for 53 yards (4.4 yards per attempt) and a long of 16 yards with the Eagles during 2014 preseason. He also returned one kickoff for 22 yards and one punt for three yards.
The Eagles placed Barner, who suffered an ankle injury in the preseason finale, on the team's injured reserve list during final roster cuts. Philadelphia would go on to eventually waive Barner with an injury settlement in early September.
It's clear Chip Kelly still has some interest in his former college running back. Perhaps the team is gauging Barner's injury status once again.
The Eagles currently have at least two healthy running backs in starter LeSean McCoy and backup Chris Polk. Veteran ball carrier Darren Sproles is recovering from a knee injury and has said he will be ready to play this week. Rookie tight end Trey Burton has taken running back snaps in an emergency role. The Eagles still employ Matthew Tucker on the team's practice squad.
Pure speculation, but here's my best attempt to explain the team's returned interest in Barner: the Eagles want a fourth running back on the roster. They might want more depth due to injuries suffered by Polk and Sproles. Perhaps the Eagles are waiting for Brad Smith to recover from injury so they can cut Jeff Maehl to make room for Barner. The Eagles always could just promote Tucker from the practice squad, but maybe they just regard Barner higher. (Oregon bias, of course.)
Stay tuned to BGN for all of your quintessential Kenjon Barner news.