After a long, prolific career with the Washington Huskies running back Chris Polk is ready for a new role with the Philadelphia Eagles. Despite not being drafted last month, Polk is determined to carve out some playing time for himself with his new employer. He will be behind star tailback LeSean McCoy in Philadelphia for the foreseeable future, but that does not mean Polk won't have an opportunity to shine is special situations.
We take a look at what the future may hold for Polk's after the jump.
This latest story from Sports Illustrated suggests Polk will be McCoy's primary backup, especially on tough third down situations.
The answer may come from Chris Polk, the former University of Washington star, who unexpectedly slipped through the draft and later signed with Philadelphia. Polk's precipitous drop was set off, in part, by injury concerns, mainly over his shoulder (which he had surgery on last year).
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Polk knows what McCoy is going through (in regards to taking a beating on the field). He averaged nearly 260 rushing attempts per game over his final three seasons at Washington, plus caught 78 passes in that time.
That heavy workload was another reason Polk flopped on draft weekend - an NFL back's shelf life is short enough without coming into the league having accumulated that many miles. The proven durability and production, however, might make him the ideal No. 2 back in Philadelphia.
While Lewis failed to make the leap in his rookie year, Polk should get every opportunity to prove his worth.
Polk has certainly taken his fair share of hits over the years, but there is no denying his talent or skill on the field. The Eagles are going to do everything they can to protect McCoy, and their best insurance policy may be to give the former Husky the ball whenever they need tough yards. He thrived in that role with Washington, and he appears ready to thrive in it once again with the Eagles.
For more on Polk and the Huskies, be sure to check out UW Dawg Pound.