If we’re being honest for a moment, there wasn’t a single soul in Philadelphia that was convinced that the Eagles would be signing Saquon Barkley. It wasn’t a possibility in anyone’s mind nor was it even in consideration. While the leaks and rumors continued to fall through the cracks, the possibility of this addition started to make more sense.
It’s not that Howie Roseman was opposed to paying for a running back. He was opposed to paying for the wrong running backs. Now this isn’t to shade Miles Sanders or D’Andre Swift at all but Roseman and the Eagles wanted the game-changing back that could truly take over a game. Both of those running backs were great in this offense but were limited to what they brought to the table. Saquon Barkley brings the entire package including pass blocking.
The Eagles showed that when they were once interested in drafting and even trading for Christian McCaffrey. They even showed their hand in last year’s draft when the Bijan Robinson rumors started to leak as we drew closer to the NFL Draft. They wanted a generational-type player that could be a true three-down back.
With Saquon Barkley that’s who you’re getting. The former number-two overall pick was held back by the mediocre offensive line of the Giants for years. Let’s not forget that he hasn’t had any great weapons around nor a true elite QB to help him. For some reason, the Giants expected Saquon to do it all for free. When it came time to pay Saquon last year, they chose to pay Daniel Jones instead, and well, that didn’t turn out great at all.
Saquon Barkley will elevate the Eagles’ offense
Now he’s in a place where the team has two wide receivers that would be number one on any other team by themselves. The offensive line has been a consistent top-5 unit for years, the tight end is a top-5 player and the QB is the face of the franchise. There isn’t any pressure on Saquon to be anything but himself in this offense.
He won’t be asked to carry the team but instead, he’ll play his role and be great at it. That is what makes this signing the exception to Howie’s rule. He went after an elite player who still has plenty in the tank at 27 years old. Barkley can have a Christian McCaffrey-like impact on this offense without the strain of being the guy.
If the run game isn’t working then the Eagles will rely on A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith to open up the field for Barkley. With the RPO, now teams have to be more aware of Barkley’s ability which could lead to defenses being more honest against the Eagles. There is a tough unit to game plan for especially with Kellen Moore calling the shots now.
While many are still concerned or bothered that the Eagles paid “big” money to a position that isn’t as valued as it once was, I challenge you to ask yourself one question. If this contract bothers you for a player with this level of talent, then how badly do you want your team to win it all? The answer may surprise you.
AP Photo/Adam Hunger
