AJ Dillon’s role is still under construction with the Eagles. The free-agent signing won’t start at running back, unless something unfortunate happens to Saquon Barkley, and even then he may not step into those shoes.
Perhaps he will be the top backup, pushing aside the intense competition that Will Shipley will, no doubt, provide to earn the top spot behind Barkley.
Philadelphia head coach Nick Sirianni addressed Dillon’s potential during Tuesday morning’s NFC breakfast at the NFL Owners Meetings in West Palm Beach, Fla. He said it is a role that is still to be determined, but, while saying that, he snuck in a nugget about Barkley.
“Saquon is a phenomenal player, maybe the best player in the NFL this year,” said the coach. “We’ll continue to use him how we use him.”
As hard as it is to believe, another season of close to 500 touches could be on the table again for Barkley, who turned 28 on the day the Eagles beat the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX.
As for Dillon, Sirianni continued: “I think you’ll see similar things that Kenny Gainwell did, or Will Shipley did and we’ll see how that role defines itself. We’re excite about the player and the things that he brings and the person he is. Sometimes the ways you think you can use him then you get in there and get your hands on him, you start working with him, and that defines itself. So, we’ll see.”
The things Shipley did? That wasn’t a very meaty role, outside of special teams, though the fourth-round draft pick from 2024 showed a nice burst on a 57-yard run at the end of the Eagles’ rout of the Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship Game.
General manager Howie Roseman also chimed in on Dillon a day earlier when he met with reports in South Florida.
“Talented guy, out last year with an injury, seems healthy, determined to succeed,” said the GM. “He’s a great complement to the guys we have here – obviously, Saquon is in a league of his own and we drafted Will Shipley last year and we’re very confident in Will with what he did last year as a personal protector on punts having never made a tackle in his life and playing as well as he played on special teams, and then when he had time on the field at running back he had a couple of long runs and we are excited to see what he can do.”
The comments on Shipley from Sirianni and Roseman don’t indicate any rush to elevate him, but that, like Dillon’s role, will sort itself out as spring’s OTAs and summer’s training camp unfold. There's a chance another running back could be added in this month's draft, with the Eagles already arranging a top-30 visit with Texas' Jaydon Blue.
