The Eagles still signed Ryan Mathews after all.
The team announced Mathews' three-year deal Thursday afternoon, just under two hours after DeMarco Murray arrived at the NovaCare Complex. Mathews is set to join Murray, Darren Sproles and Chris Polk in a crowded Birds backfield.
The terms of Mathews' deal are three years for $11.5 million with $5 million guaranteed, a source confirmed to CSN's Derrick Gunn. Those aren't huge numbers, which is why the contract did not prohibit the Eagles from also adding Murray.
How the Eagles utilize all four running backs remains to be seen. Polk, a restricted free agent, was expected to be re-signed to the lowest level tender of $1.5 million, according to CSN Eagles insider Geoff Mosher. But touches figure to be extremely difficult to come by for the now fourth-stringer.
Mathews, 28, spent the first five seasons of his career in San Diego, where he rushed for 4,061 yards and 23 touchdowns with a 4.4-yard average for the Chargers. The former first-round pick has been oft-injured, missing 20 games in his career and only once suiting up for all 16.
His best season was 2013, when he rushed 285 times for 1,255 yards and six TDs.