The first practice for the Philadelphia Eagles has come and gone as training camp is officially underway.

Many were excited to see DeMarco Murray in action for his first camp in Philadelphia, but for reasons unknown, he hardly saw the field. Reports from camp surfaced that Murray hardly participated in team drills. 

When Murray was on the sidelines, it was Darren Sproles who took over as the No. 1 back, not Ryan Matthews.


This could simply be a result of Sproles knowing the system and the team not wanting to rush Matthews. Perhaps, though, it means Sproles' usage may not just be focused in the passing game.

Between the three halfbacks, each one of them can contribute in the passing game. Murray will clearly be the workhorse of this offense after leading the league in rushing last season, but after that, it is up in the air.

It seems like Matthews would be the next man up after totaling a few 1,000-yard seasons in his career. Yet, Chip Kelly likes the home-run hitters.

Look at what he did in Oregon. Size doesn't necessarily matter to him at running back. Players like LaMichael James (5'9") and De'Anthony Thomas (5'10") were not hulking figures by any means but they sure thrived in Kelly's system. 

If  Murray is the one taking the bruising up the middle, perhaps Sproles will be best served as the next man up. He'd be a tremendous change of pace option that'll catch defenses off guard.

In 2014, the 5-foot-6 running back had just 57 carries but turned that into 326 yards and six touchdowns.

He was an explosive runner with limited touches. Kelly has to see that. In 2011, Sproles ran for a career-high 603 yards for an average of 6.9 yards per touch with 87 carries for the New Orleans Saints.

Imagine this Eagles offense getting about seven yards a pop from Sproles after Murray picks up his 4-5 yards?

Ultimately, I think Matthews will get more carries than Sproles but not as much as I originally thought. After really thinking about the situation, the Eagles should continue to utilize Sproles in all facets of the game, not just as a pass-catcher. 

Kyle Phillippi is the Philadelphia Eagles beat writer for About.com. You can follow him on Twitter, @Kyle_Phillippi. Be sure to LIKE our Facebook page!