One unnamed NFL offensive coach voiced a specific worry about what running back Saquon Barkley will and won't be during his first season with the Philadelphia Eagles.
"Probably not as fast as he used to be," that coach said about Barkley during a recent chat with Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. "He has the ability to make people miss in space, which is sometimes bad since you think you can bounce it and outrun people. But when he does get downhill, running in between tackles, he's so strong naturally that he's hard to tackle. He runs through arm tackles. Just has to decide to do it."
Barkley was the New York Giants' most talented overall offensive player throughout the bulk of his tenure with the club that ran from the 2018 NFL Draft through this past campaign.
However, the ball-carrier who turned 27 years old in February has a concerning and lengthy injury history. He endured multiple ankle-related setbacks with the Giants, suffered a torn ACL in September 2020 and most recently missed three games last season with his latest ankle injury.
In March 2023, the Giants retained Barkley's rights via the non-exclusive franchise tag. He signed an altered one-year agreement last summer but was allowed to reach free agency this past March. He ultimately inked a three-year, $37.75M contract that could be worth up to $46.75M with $26M fully guaranteed to join the Eagles.
Some believe Barkley will make the 2024 Eagles legitimate Super Bowl contenders, in part because Philadelphia's offensive line is quite an upgrade over what he had with the Giants. Barkley will also be part of an offense that features 2022 Most Valuable Player finalist Jalen Hurts along with star wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.
"He's going to be a beast," one AFC scout added about Barkley featuring for the Eagles. "The weapons around him on the outside, dual-threat QB, shotgun runs, his versatility -- it's a perfect fit."
As of Monday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the Eagles tied for third among the betting favorites at +700 odds to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LIX.
Barkley will be worth every penny regardless of what critics say about teams paying veteran running backs in the modern NFL if he helps Philadelphia reach the final game of a postseason tournament over the next three years.
