Should the Eagles trade for Jordan Howard?

The running back position is definitely one the Eagles are going to need to figure out this offseason, and one name that could be of interest is Chicago Bears RB Jordan Howard. Adam Schefter reported on Wednesday that several teams inquired about his trade value at the Combine, and it’s possible that the Eagles were one of them.

Howard would be an interesting prospect, and there’s a Joe Douglas connection there that makes the possibility a bit more tangible, with Douglas having drafted him in 2016. Since then, Howard has been a big part of the Bears offense.

In his rookie season, Howard had 1,313 rushing yards on 252 carries and six touchdowns, only to follow that up with yet another 1,000-plus yard season (1,122) on 276 carries and nine scores. Last season was a little less productive for the rusher, but he still came close to hitting that 1,000-yard mark with 935 yards on 250 carries and again, nine touchdowns.

I interviewed Howard at the NFL Combine in early 2016, and he was an impressive prospect even then. He talked about being acutely aware of how many carries he’s had throughout his college career, and knowing what mileage can mean for the career length of a running back.

His journey to the NFL was also interesting, with Howard having played his first two college seasons at UAB before the program was dismantled, and finishing his career at Indiana University — coming in the year after Tevin Coleman shined for the Hoosiers. He ran for only 881 yards his freshman year at UAB, but followed that up with two 1,000-plus yard seasons in a row, despite transferring in early 2015.

Howard will be playing on the final year of his rookie contract in 2019, and could be interesting — and somewhat less expensive — option for the Eagles as they start to make plans for free agency and the draft.

Of course, it also depends on what Chicago is asking for the three-year running back.