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Jacksonville Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell said yesterday he didn't have Demarco Murray in his top-five targets, but that didn't stop him from pushing hard to sign the free agent running back.
But in the end, Murray is reportedly opting to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles, as reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Filed to ESPN: DeMarco Murray, en route now to Philly, is expected to sign with Eagles, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 12, 2015
That report is only solidified as NFL Network's Albert Breer is saying that Ryan Mathews is leaving the Eagles facility.
Ryan Mathews just left the Eagles facility about 5 minutes ago.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 12, 2015
There were some rumors prior to the start of free agency that the Jaguars would be on the trail of Murray depending on the price, and most thought he'd stick with the Dallas Cowboys unless there was a substantial offer, but it appears he got what he was looking for with the Eagles.
Murray was arguably the best running back in the league last season, albeit rushing behind one of the best offensive line's in the league with one of the better quarterbacks, but his production was there on the field and he's always had the talent. With over 1,800 yards, Murray was a force for the Cowboys offense that centered around him.
In the end, it came down to four teams who had a legitimate shot at Murray: the Jaguars, Eagles, Cowboys, and Oakland Raiders. But Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell had a price and was sticking to it, no matter how valuable the potential was. Breer reported on Wednesday night that Murray was looking for a deal in the range of $8 million per year, and Caldwell just didn't go there.