Although he had previously declared his intention to retire following the 2018 campaign, Eagles running back Darren Sproles has indicated to teammates and coaches that he’ll “seriously” consider extending his career by at least one more season, according to Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Sproles originally hinted that 2017 would be his final NFL campaign, but backtracked on that sentiment even before multiple injuries ended his season early that year. Sproles not only suffered a torn ACL, but a broken arm during the first month of the 2017 season, which concluded with Sproles having played in just three games.
After inking a one-year deal that contained $1MM in guarantees for 2018, Sproles muddled through another injury-riddled campaign. A hamstring injury limited him to just six appearances this season, but he’s played well when on the field. Additionally, the Eagles won four-of-five games and snuck into the playoffs after Sproles returned, which could motivate the 35-year-old to return for a 15th NFL season.
“I think Darren Sproles would be a great addition [in 2019],” Eagles head coach Doug Pederson said last month. “He’s a great leader. he works hard, he’s a great mentor to a lot of young players. I think anybody would love to have a Darren Sproles. I mean, I would.”
On the season, Sproles has rushed for 120 yards and one touchdown on 29 carries while adding 15 receptions for 160 yards and two scores in the passing game. Among backs with fewer than 25 catches, Sproles was the league’s 10th-most effective receiver in DYAR, Football Outsiders’ receiving metric.
He’ll be back…