The Eagles are an organization that has always valued depth, as a quick glance across the team's depth chart will demonstrate. However, the flipside is that there are several current Eagles with NFL level talent who may not make this team.
Such is the case for rookie running back Chris Polk. Despite being considered a highly touted running back out of college, Polk shocked many by going undrafted. Now the 5-11, 222-pounder is fighting for a job at a position that includes an All-Pro starter in LeSean McCoy and two intriguing young players in Dion Lewis and Bryce Brown.
But the Eagles' brass may have a creative solution for keeping Polk – making him the team's fullback.
"It certainly has been discussed and thought of," offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said Friday. "He is a physical player, isn't he? I think Chris Polk is an excellent football player. I think he is an excellent ball carrier and think he could be an excellent blocker as well."
Stashing Polk at fullback would be a way to retain him without losing much in the way of offensive production. Owen Schmitt, last season's fullback, saw more than 15 snaps in only three games last year, per Pro Football Focus.
However, that would mean cutting true fullbacks Stanley Havili and Emil Igwenagu, players who have been battling over the spot for months.
As for Polk, he said he is ready to help wherever the team needs him.
"I'll do whatever it takes to make the team and contribute," Polk said. "If they want me to block, catch; whatever, I'm going to do whatever it takes."
Polk said his blocking ability, specifically in passing situations, is the part of his game that has improved the most since joining the Eagles.
His reasoning is simple.
"The little things matter the most," Polk said. "Whatever you think you know, or what you've done in college, can be exactly wrong because the coaches here are just like any coaches. They're going to want you to do things exactly how they coach it."
It remains to be seen if Polk will get any snaps at fullback, though Mornhinweg said he doesn't feel pressed to experiment immediately.
"We have not done that yet," Mornhinweg said. "There is certainly time. Whatever his strengths are, he can lean on his strengths there especially if that were the case. That's hypothetical and I don't usually get into much of that. We have not done that as of yet.
"Do I think he could? I do think he could because he's such a physical player."
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