Trey Sermon Gets Some Spring Love from Nick Sirianni

The Eagles' head coach discussed the third-year RB who could seize an opportunity for more playing time this season, as well as the rest of the running back room

Beware of March declarations around the NFL.

Last year at this time the Eagles' brass would often talk up a trio of young cornerbacks in Mac McCain, Tay Gowan, and Kary Vincent, Jr. before they slowly regressed to the background when proven commodity James Bradberry arrived.

For those keeping score, McCain (Detroit) and Gowan (Minnesota) are now on futures deals with NFC North teams and Vincent is trying to work his way back into the NFL with the Houston Roughnecks of the XFL.

Earlier this week at the NFL's annual spring meetings it was running back Trey Sermon, 24, who got the vote of confidence from out of left field.

A 2021 third-round pick by San Francisco, Sermon was a Sept. 1 waiver-wire pickup by the Eagles last season and played in just eight offensive snaps as the team's RB4 behind Miles Sanders, Kenny Gainwell, and Boston Scott.

Moving forward, the oft-injured Rashaad Penny is penciled in to help replace Sanders, who signed in Carolina during free agency, and another back could be added on draft weekend, but the theme in the RB room might be best described as uncertainty.

So why not Sermon, who has a history with Jalen Hurts at Oklahoma before transferring and finishing his career at Ohio State?

“Trey Sermon, I’m really excited about him,” Sirianni told reporters at the league meetings earlier this week.

How real Sirianni's excitement is will be unveiled over the coming week and months but there is opportunity after Sanders' exit.

The easiest answer for Philadelphia at RB1 is the talented Penny staying healthy, something he hasn't been able to do for his first five professional seasons. 

From there Gainwell opened some eyes with a strong postseason but would have to overcome some size deficiencies to become the lead back, and the draft is deep with talent with NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah noting he's got 13 players graded as third-round picks or higher.

And then there's Sermon, who averaged over seven yards per carry over his final two college seasons.

That's the good for the Georgia native. 

The bad is that the 49ers, like the Eagles one of the best running teams in the NFL, gave up on Sermon so quickly.

As a late arrival, Sermon didn't get much playing time with the Eagles but he managed to stand out in practice.

“Trey didn’t get an opportunity to showcase his talents except for that game against Jacksonville ... but I can’t tell you how many times at practice he made a cut or you just saw him in his pads or he made a play on a screen or whatever it was and you’re like, ‘Man, this guy has a chance to be really good,’” Sirianni said.

Sermon got two carries for 19 yards against the Jags and the Eagles thought enough of the young back to keep him stashed on the back end of the 53-man roster, the stark difference between him and the aforementioned CB trio, who spent more time on the practice squad.

Sirianni also brought up Sermon without being prompted, usually a tell in the world of personnel.

“Wish we could have gotten him touches,” the coach said, "but we couldn’t do it last year.”

The grain of salt there is that Sirianni is the guy who could have gotten Sermon touches anytime he wanted. 

Of course, Sanders was in the midst of a career season and there was no need to mess with the RB ecosystem when the Eagles continued to win games.

Reps are available now and Sanders' 279 offensive touches must be replaced whether in a Moneyball-like fashion of two or three contributors or a true lead back.

And Sirianni also spoke highly of his other options currently in the mix, starting with Penny.

“I’ve wanted to coach him for a long time," Sirianni said when discussing Penny. "He was playing at San Diego State when I was with the San Diego Chargers and was able to see his career as a college player and always thought very highly of him and the teams that he was on."

Gainwell was underwhelming for much of the regular season before taking off a bit as the stakes got higher.

“We all saw Kenny Gainwell have a really good playoff run, and it seems like every time Kenny’s in the game, he makes plays," said Sirianni. "Whether that’s in the pass game or that’s in the running game."

Then there's old-faithful in the form of Scott, the veteran New York Giants killer back on another one-year deal. Scott, though, is the one RB you can likely define as a backup and potential kick returner.

“Boston being back is huge. I think that’s somebody that you always want to have on your team," Sirianni said, noting that Indianapolis and Shane Steichen were interested. "... glad we have him, especially because I know how much Shane likes him too, so I don’t know if there was anything going on but I remember Shane always saying, ‘Man, I love Boston,’ and we all love Boston.

"He just provides great depth. What was awesome about Boston last year is that he had limited opportunities to make plays, but when he did he made them, and then he found a niche as the kick returner, and I thought that was great.”

One name you shouldn't concern yourself with is Ezekiel Elliott, the former Dallas star who remains a free agent after becoming a salary-cap casualty with the Cowboys.

The names of the Eagles, New York Jets, and Cincinnati Bengals were recently floated as potential Elliott destinations but when it comes to Philadelphia that sentiment is more one-sided from the player's perspective, according to an NFL source.

Sirianni wouldn't go that far but did essentially downplay any interest in Elliott.

“We feel really good about the room as it is right now,” the coach said. “I’m really excited about that room, really excited about the guys we have in that room.”

-John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's Eagles Today and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody McDonald every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on YouTube. John is also the host of his own show "Football 24/7 and a daily contributor to ESPN South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen