Ryan Mathews, one of the top remaining free agent running backs on the market, has agreed to a three-year, $11.5 million deal with the Eagles that includes $5 million guaranteed, CSN's Derrick Gunn has confirmed.
ESPN's Adam Schefter first reported the contract numbers and FOX Sports 1's Mike Garafolo first reported that Mathews was expected to sign.
The Eagles, who traded LeSean McCoy to the Bills and believed they had an agreement on a long-term contract with long-term 49er Frank Gore, needed a No. 1 running back.
Mathews, who turns 28 in May, played in just eight games last year. He missed seven with a knee injury and one with an ankle injury.
The Eagles have already added Sam Bradford, whose last two seasons have ended with torn ACLs; Walter Thurmond (see story), who has missed 42 games the last four years; and Kiko Alonso, who missed all of last year with a torn ACL.
Mathews, originally the 12th pick in the 2010 draft, has 4,061 rushing yards and a 4.4 average with 23 rushing TDs in five seasons with the Chargers. He has 146 receptions for 1,110 yards and one TD receiving.
In his 2011 Pro Bowl season, he ran for 1,091 yards and caught 50 passes for 455 yards. In his last healthy season, 2013, he rushed for a career-high 1,255 yards, seventh-most in the league and 352 yards behind McCoy, the NFL rushing leader.
In 62 career games, Mathews has just one run longer than 40 yards. For the sake of comparison, McCoy has 12.
The only running backs currently on the Eagles' roster are Darren Sproles, Chris Polk, Kenjon Barner and Matthew Tucker.