Jay Ajayi Eager to Get Jay Train Rolling Again

Eagles head coach Doug Pederson said the recently re-signed running back will be a part of the offense, just how big of a one will depend on Jordan Howard's health

Jordan Howard still has not been cleared for contact, and if the Eagles top running back once again cannot get that clearance by the end of the week, then a bigger role for Jay Ajayi will be cleared.

“I think there’s a role this week if Jordan can’t go,” said head coach Doug Pederson on Wednesday morning. “Obviously, again then that role would increase.”

Pederson made it clear that the Eagles signed Ajayi only last Friday because they placed running back Darren Sproles on Injured Reserve, not due to the uncertainty of the shoulder injury Howard suffered in late in the team’s win over the Chicago Bears two weeks ago.

“We do see a role for Jay,” said Pederson. “Even though we signed him late (last) week we knew there wasn’t going to be a ton of activity in the game Sunday (against the Patriots), but I think moving forward we can get him involved a little bit more.”

As for Howard’s injury, Pederson said it is improving, but “it’s just a slow process right now.”

Pederson also indicated that receiver Alshon Jeffery won’t fully participate in practice on Wednesday as he deals with an ankle injury, also suffered late against the Bears. Linebacker Nigel Bradham will practice, however. Bradham has missed the last four games with an ankle injury.

Ajayi is ready for whatever role the Eagles have in mind.

“I don’t want to look to far into the future,” said Ajayi. “The big thing for me is just using these games that I get and hopefully playoff games and even farther than that just to showcase what I can do, showcase my ability again to this team, that I can be a great contributor to the offense, showcase to my teammates, showcase to the fans, showcase to the rest of the NFL.

“I think it’s just an exciting prospect for me just to get back on the field. It’s been a long time since I played football, in my mind, so I’m just excited to get back out there and showcase who I am and what the Jay Train can do.”

Ajayi hasn’t played since tearing an ACL in the fourth week of the 2018 season. He was on the final year of his rookie contract and was hoping for a big season so that he could cash in. Instead, he spent the next several months rehabbing form surgery.

It wasn’t until the end of last August that he felt he knee was sound again, but even a few weeks longer before he felt really comfortable trying to earn tryouts with other teams.

“I knew I would play again,” said Ajayi. “What better situation than being able to come back here to the Eagles, a team that I had the highest success at, with winning the Super Bowl and team. I already know the offense, so there’s no crazy learning curve. I still have a comfort level here. I love the fan base here, a lot of my teammates are still here, it’s just a crazy way of how this whole year happened to come back around to being on Philly, but it’s definitely a blessing.”