The running back position has been devalued in the NFL in recent years, and the Philadelphia Eagles have historically not invested significantly in their ballcarriers.
However, it is not every day that a rusher with Saquon Barkley’s skills and resume comes knocking at your door.
Faced with the possibility of an obvious upgrade in the backfield, the team forked over a three-year, $37.75 million deal to secure Barkley’s services in the City of Brotherly Love.
And the early returns are all positive.
Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson told SiriusXM’s The Opening Drive that Barkley is a great fit in Philadelphia.
Johnson gushed, “When you look at him, it’s one of those guys that doesn’t come around too often.”
.@Eagles OT @LaneJohnson65 discussed the addition of RB Saquon Barkley in Philadelphia and what makes him a special player…
https://t.co/LDIP76T7RX#Eagles | #FlyEaglesFly | @Saquon pic.twitter.com/OTRCr1VYV7
— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) July 5, 2024
With his size and remarkable skill set, the lineman predicted that Barkley would make the Eagles’ offensive front look even better than it is.
Besides the natural attributes that the former Giant brings to the offense, Johnson declared Barkley is “extremely personable, a great teammate [and] a hard worker.”
The 27-year-old spent his first six NFL seasons with the Giants and put up three 1,000-yard efforts.
Barkley also fought his way back from a devastating ACL injury in 2020 and finished last year with 962 rushing yards for the woeful New York offense.
In Philadelphia, he will not be depended on to carry the entire offensive load as he frequently was with the Giants, and his new employers have a rock-solid quarterback and a stash of weapons.
There is a strong possibility that Barkley will find his second wind and experience a career renaissance with the Eagles.
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