The Philadelphia Eagles made waves this offseason with their unexpected signing of free agent running back Saquon Barkley to a lucrative contract, surprising many across the league.
At the NFL’s annual league meetings in Orlando, general manager Howie Roseman took the opportunity to elaborate on the rationale behind the Barkley acquisition.
I think, for us, it’s hard to find special players at any position,” Roseman said. “We think Saquon’s a special player and we think he’s a special person. And when you’re trying to find those guys, they’re hard to find, especially on the open market. Then you put into the dynamic about … has the pendulum swung so far at this position? The guy touches the ball 300 times a year, hopefully. There’s not a lot of other skill position players that are touching the ball that many times and have that effect.”
In an era where the running back position has seen diminishing value in the NFL’s open market, the Eagles have been at the forefront of this trend. However, in their quest to bolster their offensive arsenal with a game-changing skill player, they opted to make a statement by securing Barkley on a three-year, $37.75 million deal, eschewing the more conservative route of signing players like D’Andre Swift or Tony Pollard for around $8 million per season.
Despite the inherent risks associated with such a significant investment, Barkley’s exceptional talent when healthy cannot be overlooked. Although he’s 27 years old and ranks fifth in offensive touches over the last three seasons, Barkley has showcased his prowess as a dynamic playmaker time and again.
As the second overall pick in the 2018 draft, his two Pro Bowl seasons have demonstrated his elite abilities, combining agility with power to both evade defenders and power through them. Furthermore, Barkley’s versatility extends beyond rushing, as he is adept at pass protection and can line up effectively as a receiver, adding multiple dimensions to the Eagles’ offense in 2024.
While some may draw parallels between this signing and the San Francisco 49ers’ acquisition of Christian McCaffrey, which transformed their offensive dynamics, it remains to be seen if Barkley can produce a similar impact for the Eagles.
Roseman countered criticisms that the Eagles have historically shied away from big investments in running backs by pointing to contracts signed by Brian Westbrook and LeSean McCoy, though both instances occurred over a decade ago and involved homegrown talent.
Nonetheless, Roseman’s confidence in Saquon Barkley’s value is evident, and only time will tell if this bold move pays off for the Eagles in the seasons to come.
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