The Eagles’ Extra Weapon

Entering a contract year, fourth-year running back Kenny Gainwell is having a positive summer.

Aug 15, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Kenneth Gainwell (14) warms up before a game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. / Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

PHILADELPHIA - The idea of Jalen Hurts running an offense with Saquon Barkley added to playmakers like A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert is an intoxicant to most Eagles’ fans.

Turns out, they might be forgetting someone – fourth year running back Kenny Gainwell.

A natural pass-catcher who spent some time playing receiver in college at Memphis, Gainwell was able to showcase all of his skills on Wednesday at the NovaCare Complex when Barkley was given a load-management day scaling back to just individual work.

That meant Gainwell was given the vast majority of first-team reps during a nearly two-hour “green” practice. What the veteran back did with his opportunity was special.

It’s not hyperbole to call Gainwell's performance Wednesday morning the best practice for any Eagles’ running back this summer. And you’d be hard-pressed to dig into the archives for a similar performance.

That said, Allen Iverson rules apply and it was just practice. The 5-foot-9, 200-pound Gainwell needs to carry it over into when the lights are brightest.

Earlier this summer Gainwell ghosted linebacker Nakobe Dean in space at the Eagles’ lone public practice at Lincoln Financial Field. He took that on tour to the NovaCare Complex with an Iverson-like breakdown of Devin White Wednesday morning.

Highlight No. 2 framed offensive coordinator Kellen Moore favorably. Gainwell lined up outside before motioning to the backfield and savvily climbing the pocket on a play-action look. Instead of finding someone to block, Gainwell was looking to get lost in the traffic and he did, emerging on the other side with While trailing in coverage for an easy touchdown throw from Hurts.

On the ground, Gainwell showed off a top-tier jump cut on a positive run in tight quarters and even held up in blitz protection, typically a weakness, when he stoned Dean.

The top play of them all came during a two-minute drill late in practice that was all Gainwell, starting with a run and three consecutive receptions, culminating in a wide-receiver-worthy catch at the back of the end zone with Zack Baun in tight coverage.

If the session was a game, fans would be talking about it for years to come.

“We had that drive where he literally made every catch in the drive and then he made that unbelievable catch in the corner,” Hurts told Eagles on SI when asked about Gainwell.

Hurts and Gainwell are close and while Gainwell won’t be taking Barkley’s place his presence provides impressive depth at RB and an intriguing situational option for Moore to untilize. 

"He’s been growing," Hurts said. "It’s been kind of surreal just thinking back and saying, ‘Man, Kenny’s on his fourth year.’ He came in, and you kind of get to see someone grow to where they are. He’s a hell of a player. He’s really the epitome of a team-first guy, embracing that role and attacking it with all of his might.

“I’m excited to see what type of year he has.”

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