Nick Sirianni wishes Miles Sanders well, says he’s excited by the Eagles’ options at running back

PHOENIX — Last season, Miles Sanders became the first Eagles running back to record 1,000-plus rushing yards since LeSean McCoy in 2014. While playing in the final year of his rookie deal, Sanders set career-highs in rushing yards (1,269) and touchdowns (11) en route to his first Pro Bowl selection.

On multiple instances, Sanders expressed his desire to stay in Philadelphia.

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“I love Philly. Just bring me back. I hope they bring me back,” Sanders said in January. “I love you [general manager] Howie Roseman. I hope you love me too.”

However, his wish never came to fruition. Sanders, a 2019 second-round draft pick out of Penn State, signed with the Carolina Panthers in free agency, while the Eagles added former Seattle Seahawks running back Rashaad Penny.

On Tuesday, coach Nick Sirianni shared his parting words for Sanders while he spoke during the NFC coaches breakfast at the annual league’s owners meetings.

“I wish Miles the best,” Sirianni said. “I’m rooting for him. It’s hard. Any time you lose a player, you’re sad because you lose part of that relationship of seeing them every day. But I’m really rooting for him and his success.”

The Eagles now turn to Penny, who joins Kenneth Gainwell, Boston Scott, and Trey Sermon in the backfield. Of those four, Gainwell and Penny are expected to take on larger roles and will be the lead candidates to replace the workload vacated by Sanders.

Gainwell, a fifth-round pick in the 2021 draft, has spent his first two seasons working in a limited role, although he’s cemented himself as the team’s featured back during high-leverage situations, specifically in the two-minute drill. Throughout the Eagles’ playoff run to Super Bowl LVII, Gainwell supplanted Sanders as the lead tailback. Gainwell rushed 33 times for 181 yards (5.25 average) and one touchdown across three playoff games. He also caught seven passes for 55 yards.

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“I’m excited about Kenny Gainwell. We all saw Kenny have a really good playoff run,” Sirianni said. “It seems like every time Kenny is in the game, he makes plays — whether that’s in the pass game or that’s in the running game.”

The Eagles are hopeful the 27-year-old Penny can rewrite his own script after he appeared in only 42 of 82 possible games because of various injuries over his five seasons with the Seahawks. When healthy, Penny averages 5.7 yards per carry, which is higher than Sanders’ career average of 5.0 yards.

“We love the addition of Rashaad Penny,” Sirianni said. “I’ve wanted to coach him for a long time. He was playing at San Diego State when I was still with the San Diego Chargers. So I was able to see his career as a college player, and I always thought very highly of him and the teams he was was on.”

Sirianni also discussed Scott (282 career rushes for 1,209 yards and 16 touchdowns) and Sermon, whom the Eagles claimed off waivers last September.

“Boston being back is huge,” Sirianni said. “That’s somebody you always want to have on your team. I’m really glad we have him because I know how much [former offensive coordinator and current Indianapolis Colts coach] Shane Steichen likes him, too. I don’t know if there was anything going on [between Scott and the Colts in free agency], but I always remember Shane saying, ‘I love Boston!’ He provides great depth. Last year, he had limited opportunities to make plays but when he did he made them, and then he found his niche as our kickoff returner.

“Trey Sermon — I’m really excited about him. Trey didn’t get an opportunity to showcase his talents except for [Week 4 against Jacksonville], – but I can’t tell you how many times in practice he made a cut or you just saw him in his pads or he made a play on a screen, whatever it was. It’s like, ‘Man, this guy has a chance to be really good.’ I wish we could get him touches, but we just couldn’t do it last year.”

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It’s possible the Eagles add more depth over the next several weeks and months. Last summer, they entered training camp with five running backs on the roster. They also have Kennedy Brooks signed to a reserve/future deal. Penny and Gainwell seem slated to battle it out for the starter role in camp, but it’s possible Sirianni and new offensive coordinator Brian Johnson take a committee approach.

On a related note, Sirianni addressed former Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott, who reportedly listed the Eagles among the teams he’d like to play for.

“Zeke Elliott is a heck of a player,” Sirianni said. “He’s obviously a great, great player that I’ve had the opportunity to watch from our sideline four times in the last two years. I just think he’s a really outstanding player.”

Whichever running back winds up handling the majority of the snaps will have the advantage of running behind one of the NFL’s top offensive lines, a group that retains four starters: left tackle Jordan Mailata, left guard Landon Dickerson, center Jason Kelce, and right tackle Lane Johnson.

“We feel really good about the room as it is right now,” Sirianni said. “I’m really excited about the guys we have in that room.”