Who Will the Eagles Select as Their Backup Running Back?

By Isaac Barrow: Don't expect an Eagles running back not named Brian Westbrook to start. But who do you think will be on the field in short gain situations? Lorenzo Booker? Correll Buckhalter? Tony Hunt? This is a question ringing in Eagles fans minds as well as Andy Reid's.

Buckhalter was good last year, with 313 yards on just 62 carries and four touchdowns. He also posted a n excellent average of over 5 yards per carry from the line of scrimmage. Booker was a solid off-season pickup from the Miami Dolphins. Last year, he had 28 carries and 125 yards. He also had 28 catches for 227 yards. Hunt, a 2007 Eagles draft pick, had just ten carries last year for sixteen yards and a touchdown.

The Eagles have had Buckhalter for eight seasons, much longer than any of the other players. Booker is in his first season with the Eagles and Hunt is in his second. That's why Buckhalter has an early advantage.

I strongly believe Booker will get the job. He can serve many duties (receiver, kick returner, fullback, punt returner, special teams) while Buckhalter is a lot slower than Booker and could only serve as a 3rd down back.

Booker came from Florida State, where he had 552 yards on 119 carries and four touchdowns as a senior in 2006.

Hunt had an excellent season with Penn State in 2006 as a senior, when he had 1386 yards and eleven touchdowns.

Right now, it's Buckhalter's job to lose. I think that's just what he'll do.