Eagles acquire Pro Bowl RB Ajayi from Dolphins

The Philadelphia Eagles acquired Pro Bowl running back Jay Ajayi from the Miami Dolphins on Tuesday for a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2018 draft.

The swap came just hours before Tuesday's 4 p.m. ET trade deadline.

Ajayi joins a backfield in Philadelphia that also includes offseason acquisition LeGarrette Blount. The Eagles own the NFL's fifth-ranked run offense, earning 129.2 yards per game on 30.8 rush attempts.

The 24-year-old Ajayi has rushed for 465 yards this season on 138 carries, but has been held out of the end zone. He has seen his rushing average drop from 4.9 yards per game in 2016 to 3.4 this season.

Ajayi rushed for just 23 yards on 14 carries in a 40-0 rout by the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday. The performance drew criticism from Dolphins coach Adam Gase, who did not mention Ajayi by name.

"We've got to stop trying to hit home runs all the time," Gase said. "It's on the running back. Do your job. It's not hard to do."

Ajayi has rushed for 1,924 yards and nine touchdowns in 31 career games for Miami since being selected in the fifth round of the 2015 draft out of Boise State.

He is signed through 2018 on a four-year, $2.5 million contract.

The Dolphins likely will turn to second-year running back Kenyan Drake as their starter. Drake has just 25 rushing yards this season on 10 carries.

Dolphins RB Jay Ajayi, Jaguars CB Jalen Ramsey and Browns DE Jamie Meder named AFC Players of Week 16

Running back JAY AJAYI of the Miami Dolphins, cornerback JALEN RAMSEY of the Jacksonville Jaguars and defensive end JAMIE MEDER of the Cleveland Browns are the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played the 16th week of the 2016 season (December 22, 24-26).

OFFENSE: RB JAY AJAYI, MIAMI DOLPHINS

DEFENSE: CB JALEN RAMSEY, JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS 

SPECIAL TEAMS: DE JAMIE MEDER, CLEVELAND BROWNS 

2016 AFC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK 

	Offense	Defense	Special Teams
Wk 1	RB DeAngelo Williams, Pittsburgh	LB Whitney Mercilus, Houston	K Stephen Gostkowski, New England
Wk 2	QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, New York Jets	LB Von Miller, Denver	DE Lawrence Guy, Baltimore
Wk 3	QB Trevor Siemian, Denver	CB Marcus Peters, Kansas City	P Ryan Allen, New England
Wk 4	QB Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh	LB Zach Brown, Buffalo	PR-WR Will Fuller, Houston
Wk 5	QB Tom Brady, New England	CB Nickell Robey-Coleman, Buffalo	K Adam Vinatieri, Indianapolis
Wk 6	RB Jay Ajayi, Miami	LB Dont’a Hightower, New England	P Drew Kaser, San Diego
Wk 7	RB Jay Ajayi, Miami	LB Denzel Perryman, San Diego	P Marquette King, Oakland
Wk 8	QB Derek Carr, Oakland	CB Bradley Roby, Denver	P Shane Lechler, Houston
Wk 9	RB Melvin Gordon, San Diego	DE Khalil Mack, Oakland	KR Jordan Todman, Indianapolis
Wk 10	QB Marcus Mariota, Tennessee	S Eric Berry, Kansas City	S Justin Simmons, Denver
Wk 11	QB Tom Brady, New England	DE Stephon Tuitt, Pittsburgh	K Dan Carpenter, Buffalo
Wk 12	WR-KR Tyreek Hill, Kansas City	DE Khalil Mack, Oakland	K Justin Tucker, Baltimore
Wk 13	QB Andrew Luck, Indianapolis	S Eric Berry, Kansas City	K Stephen Gostkowski, New England
Wk 14	RB Le’Veon Bell, Pittsburgh	DT Geno Atkins, Cincinnati	WR-KR Tyreek Hill, Kansas City
Wk 15	QB Matt Moore, Miami	LB Bruce Irvin, Oakland	K Ryan Succop, Tennessee
Wk 16	RB Jay Ajayi, Miami	CB Jalen Ramsey, Jacksonville	DE Jamie Meder, Cleveland

Dolphins RB Jay Ajayi, Chargers LB Denzel Perryman and Raiders P Marquette King named AFC Players of Week 7

Running back Jay Ajayi of the Miami Dolphins, linebacker Denzel Perryman of the San Diego Chargers and punter Marquette King of the Oakland Raiders are the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played the seventh week of the 2016 season (October 20, 23-24).

Ajayi, who was honored last week after his 204-yard rushing day against the Pittsburgh Steelers, becomes the first Dolphins player to win a Player of the Week award in consecutive weeks since the NFL began honoring the best offensive and defensive players in 1984. Overall, he is the first player in the NFL to win Player of the  Week awards in consecutive weeks since 2014 when Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger was honored for Week 8 and Week 9 after throwing six touchdown passes in each game.

Perryman’s interception of a Matt Ryan pass helped set up a game-tying field goal for the Chargers. He followed that up with an even bigger play, stopping Devonta Freeman for a loss on fourth down in overtime, which allowed the Chargers to kick their game-winning field goal.

King made 5 punts for 273 yards (54.6 gross avg. and 50.6 net avg.) with a 60-yard long and four punts placed inside the opponents’ 20-yard line and one inside the 10-yard line, and one rush for 27 yards in the Raiders’ 33-16 road win over the Jaguars in Week 7. His 27-yard rush was the longest by a punter since 2010.

Dolphins RB Jay Ajayi, Patriots LB Dont'a Hightower and Chargers P Drew Kaser named AFC Players of Week 6

Running back Jay Ajayi of the Miami Dolphins, linebacker Dont'a Hightower of the New England Patriots and punter Drew Kaser of the San Diego Chargers are the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played the sixth week of the 2016 season (October 13, 16-17).

Ajayi becomes the ninth Dolphins running back to be named AFC Offensive Player of the Week since the award began in 1984 and the first since Week 2 of the 2012 season when Reggie Bush was recognized for his performance against the Oakland Raiders. Other Dolphins running back to win AFC POW honors were Troy Stradford (1987, Week 11); Sammie Smith (1990, Week 1); Bernie Parmalee (1994, Week 15); Karim Abdul-Jabbar (1996, Week 1); Lamar Smith (2000, Week 1 and AFC First-Round Playoff Game); Ricky Williams (2002, Weeks 12 and 14; 2009, Week 11); Ronnie Brown (2008, Week 3); and Bush (2011, Week 15; 2012, Week 2). 

Hightower finished the game with a team-high 13 total tackles, 1 1/2 sacks, including one sack that resulted in a safety and two quarterback hits. Hightower dropped Cincinnati QB Andy Dalton in the end zone for an eight-yard sack and a safety in the third quarter. It marks his second career NFL points. Hightower returned a fumble six yards for a touchdown in his very first NFL game at Tennessee on Sept. 9, 2012. He registered a 10-tackle performance for the 14th time in his career.

Kaser was named AFC special teams player of the week, after putting four of his five punts inside the 20 in San Diego’s upset win over the Broncos. When the Chargers lost to the Raiders last week, he mishandled a potential game-tying field goal, and his holding duties were given to backup quarterback Kellen Clemens. He was off to a slow start this year, and ranks 31st in the league in gross average (41.0 yards per punt) and 27th in net (37.6).