This offseason, Philadelphia chose not to re-sign D’Andre Swift, last year’s fifth-leading rusher, in favor of longtime New York Giant Saquon Barkley. By signing a three-year, $37M contract with the team, Barkley became the highest-paid running back in franchise history. Money well spent, according to Battista.
Barkley is going to have a throwback season running behind the best offensive line he’s ever had and playing in an offense with enough weapons that opposing defenses won’t only have to worry about shutting him down. He won’t reach his rookie year 2,000-plus yardage, but I can envision a 2022-like 1,600-plus-yard effort.
As a rookie, Barkley ran for 1,307 yards and 11 touchdowns with 721 receiving yards and four more scores. With 21 games missed over the next three seasons, his numbers went down, but his 2022 campaign was much better.
Former #Giants star RB Saquon Barkley is planning to sign with the #Eagles, per me and @MikeGarafolo.
The former Penn St weapon lands in-state at a rival of the #Giants and stays in the NFC East. He’ll see his former team twice a year. pic.twitter.com/na7lcPzWD6
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 11, 2024
That year, Barkley turned a career-high 295 carries into a career-best 1,312 yards. He also rushed for 10 touchdowns, one shy of his career mark. If Battista is right, a rejuvenated Barkley could absolutely carry Philadelphia to an NFC championship in 2024.
Last year, the Eagles fell well short, losing 32-9 to the Buccaneers in the wild-card round. Philadelphia managed three first downs in the game and ran for just 42 yards. Even with a 14-yard clunker against the Saints in Week 15, Barkley still averaged 68 yards per game in 2023.
Had Barkley been with the team, things could have been much different in Tampa Bay. For now, he’ll have to wait until Sept. 6 when the Eagles trav
