To say things haven't gone exactly to plan for former Green Bay Packers running back AJ Dillon since his arrival in the City of Brotherly Love might be an understatement.
After signing a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles this past March, Dillon's role on offense for the defending champions has diminished, and that continued on Monday evening following the Eagles' trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars for veteran RB Tank Bigsby.
With Dillon already sitting behind second-year rusher Will Shipley on the depth chart, the addition of the 24-year-old Bigsby will only make it more difficult for the ex-Packers fan favorite to find his way onto the field for any meaningful game action.
Eagles' AJ Dillon Now Fighting to Keep New Job After Tank Bigsby Trade
After clearly being the third option behind Saquon Barkley entering the regular season opener, Dillon did himself no favors when he had the opportunity to get onto the field in Week 1. The former Boston College standout finished the game with three carries for 10 yards. To make matters worse for Dillon, nine of those 10 total rushing yards came on a single play.
The fact that Philadelphia gave up a pair of draft picks to acquire Bigsby shows that they expect him to be a contributor sooner rather than later. That, coupled with the likelihood of Shipley returning sometime in the not-so-distant future from the rib injury that forced him to leave the field in Week 1, doesn't paint the best picture for Dillon and his chances in Philadelphia.
If Dillon not only wants to keep his job, but actually contribute to whatever success the Eagles have on the field this season, he needs to do more to make the most of the touches he does get in the coming weeks. Bigsby won't have the playbook down in the next two weeks so whatever Dillon can do to show he is beneficial to Philadelphia's offensive attack will only help keep him on this roster.
With over 2,400 rushing yards and 18 total touchdowns over his four seasons in Green Bay, Dillon has the track record to make teams interested in adding him to the fold, as Philadelphia did this offseason. To stay on this Eagles roster, or any other one throughout the league, for that matter, the veteran must raise his game, and the best time to do that is now.