The Philadelphia Eagles signed running back Saquon Barkley in free agency earlier this month, and to say that the team is excited would be an understatement.
Barkley has gotten glowing reviews from general manager Howie Roseman and head coach Nick Sirianni, and now, owner Jeffrey Lurie has cast his hat into the ring, comparing Barkley to a couple of legendary Eagles halfbacks.
“I think with Saquon, one of the things we always talk about, whether it was LeSean McCoy, Brian Westbrook, is the value of a running back is it’s not even the word of the title ‘running back,'” Lurie said, via the Eagles’ official team website. “You have to be a great passing attack running back as well. For us, it’s got to be multifunctional. And he exhibited a very special skill set both in the running and the passing game that we think certainly can be maximized by being on a team with better skill positions, quarterback, offensive line. So, it was a strategy to go.”
Barkley is certainly an all-purpose back.
The 27-year-old, who played his collegiate football at Penn State, was originally selected by the New York Giants with the second overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft.
He flashed his versatility right off the bat, racking up 1,307 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground while averaging five yards per carry during his rookie campaign. In addition, he hauled in 91 receptions for 721 yards and four scores, earning a trip to the Pro Bowl.
While injuries have played a significant role in Barkley’s career (he has not played a full season since his rookie year), he continues to demonstrate great pass-catching ability out of the backfield when healthy.
Lurie knew this, which is why Philadelphia decided to change course and spend big on a running back.
“I know people think, well, we don’t spend on the running back position,” he said. “That’s never really been the case. We would do it very carefully. So, LeSean McCoy, Brian Westbrook, those are instances of players that are really multi-purpose running backs that improve the passing attack, improve the running attack.
If Barkley can bring to the table what Westbrook and McCoy did for so many years in Philly, the Eagles will be sitting pretty in the NFC East next season.
Philadelphia signed Saquon Barkley to a three-year, $37.8 million deal.
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