The Philadelphia Eagles released Tim Tebow and traded Matt Barkley and now Chip Kelly has added another backup to the mix, signing Stephen Morris to a deal. Morris will be third string after Tebow was cut and this comes as the Eagles have depth with DeMarco Murray, Ryan Mathews and Darren Sproles at running back.
Barkley was traded before Tebow was cut and at that time many speculated that the quarterback had a chance to make the roster. According to Pro Football Talk, Kelly did not see enough value in keeping Tebow now and there is always a chance he could return later. The site reports that the Eagles have added Morris as a third string option and it comes after he spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars after he was undrafted out of Miami in 2014.
The Eagles were likely to keep three quarterbacks and that is why some thought Tebow could make it after having a solid preseason. The team has Bradford coming off of two knee surgeries and while he has looked good all summer, Kelly likely wanted some extra insurance behind Mark Sanchez. Tebow made some nice plays in the preseason and showed good running ability, but Kelly likely needed to see more to keep Tebow as a third quarterback.
Morris was claimed off waivers and he is a high upside option in this position, as Barkley had really shown nothing in two years since being drafted. Kelly is always looking for value and he likely felt that Morris was a better option for Week 1 and beyond than Tebow, who is not a prototypical quarterback. Morris has not played in an NFL game yet and if all goes according plan, he probably won't play at all for the Eagles this season.
Last year Mark Sanchez stepped in for Nick Foles when he was injured and Matt Barkley only threw one pass during the regular season. Morris won 17 games in 30 starts for the Hurricanes in college and he has a solid upside with his physical size and athletic ability. Morris actually could be a really good fit for Kelly's offense, as he showed during combine workouts that he has a strong arm and can make the deep throws.
The Eagles have depth at QB now and the team also has strong depth at running back with DeMarco Murray, Ryan Mathews and Darren Sproles. All three players are worth looking at in fantasy football, including Sproles in deep and PPR leagues. Murray is going to be the starter, but after having over 400 touches last season, the Eagles likely will use Mathews quite a bit as well.
