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Blount Signs With Eagles; Immediately Becomes Their Sledge Hammer
A major fantasy domino has finally fallen as the Eagles announced Wednesday they agreed to terms on a one-year contract with former Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount.

According to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported that the deal is worth a max of $2.8 million.

Blount is coming off a breakout season with career highs in touchdowns (franchise-record 18), yards (1,161) and carries (299) for New England. He turned 30 late last year and never gained great interest in free agency. The Patriots recently placed a little-used tender on Blount that will get them a compensatory draft pick next year.

Also according to Rapoport, the Arizona Cardinals and New York Giants both had contract offers out to Blount before the Eagles stepped up to secure the running back.

With Philadelphia now even more certain to move on from Ryan Mathews, Blount immediately becomes the thunder in a backfield currently dominated by lightning with Wendall Smallwood, Darren Sproles and rookie Donnell Pumphrey.

The move could signal the end for Ryan Mathews in Philly, who can save $4 million by clipping the oft-injured running back.

Adding Blount continues Eagle GM Howie Roseman's offseason makeover of infusing veteran players to the roster on short-term deals. This offseason, the Eagles added receiver Alshon Jeffery on a one-year deal and Torrey Smith to what the team's official website characterized as a "cuttable contract." The signings of Jeffery and Smith to go with Jordan Matthews and Zack Ertz give Carson Wentz a much-improved pass-catching corps. Blount's addition to Sproles, Smallwood and Pumphrey does wonders to round out the backfield.

“We’re always looking for complementary players when we go over our roster and positions,” Roseman said on Wednesday. “Obviously, LeGarrette had a tremendous amount of success with New England last year. ... He sets the tempo for your team as a running back."

Of some note, Blount is 7-1 in his career playoff appearances, with 111 carries, 470 yards, a 4.2-yard-per-carry average, and eight touchdowns scored.

“We’ve been looking at that position for the last month or two, through the draft, and we think bringing LeGarrette in here is a good fit for both sides,” Roseman added.

Ironically, the last player (prior to Blount) to lead the NFL in rushing TDs and then change teams in the offseason was DeMarco Murray, who also joined the Eagles.

That didn't work out especially well for Murray or for fantasy owners. But that was a different coaching regime and Blount seems destined for a more defined role as a short-yardage and goal-line back -- a role he's clearly better-suited for than Mathews.

According to CSNPhilly.com's Dan Roche, in third- and fourth-down situations with less than three yards to go last season, Blount converted on 13 of 19 attempts (68.4 percent) while Mathews was successful on 4 of 9 (44.4 percent).

And as 4for4.com's John Paulsen pointed out this morning, Philadelphia had the fifth-most rushing attempts inside the opponent’s five-yard line last season. Expect ample opportunities for Blount. And expect his ADP to rise accordingly in coming days.