One of the most notable changes of the 2024 NFL offseason was Saquon Barkley leaving the New York Giants and joining their NFC East rival Philadelphia Eagles.
The former Offensive Rookie of the Year made his impact clear in the first few weeks. Barkley exploded for 109 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns in his Eagles debut. After producing 116 yards from scrimmage in Week 2, Barkley then raised the bar with 147 rushing yards and two touchdowns in Week 3 against the Saints.
This level of production was unsustainable and Barkley has seen a decrease in opportunities since. He is coming off a season-low performance this week against the Browns in which he gained just 54 total yards from scrimmage. After tallying at least 4.3 yards per rush in each game before this, Barkley was limited to just 2.3 yards per carry against the Browns. He now has dropped to 4th in the NFL in rushing yards after pacing the position group through the first few weeks.
Is this dip a concern moving forward for Barkley and the Eagles?
Barkley’s play with the Eagles so far
While the Eagles ultimately got the win, their 20-16 victory over the Browns is not one the team will hang their hats on. They allowed a struggling Cleveland team to remain in the game, which concluded with head coach Nick Sirianni arguing with the home crowd after the game.
The Eagles are the only team in the NFL which hasn’t scored in the first quarter this season. The Eagles also rank 18th in points per game and 10th in total yards on the season.
Philadelphia is still trying to find their stride as a team, and Barkley should be the answer here. While Jalen Hurts has played like a high-level quarterback for stretches at a time, the Eagles have been their best when leaning on the rushing game as their identity. Philadelphia ranked ninth in the league in rushing yards per game last year, fourth in 2022, and led the league in 2021. This all occurred without a running back nearly as talented as Saquon Barkley.
Expect the dip in production last week to mark a turning point for Barkley and the Eagles. They face the New York Giants this week which is a revenge spot for Barkley, and New York currently ranks 15th in rush yards allowed. Expect Philly to lean on their star running back often, and for this to be a trend moving forward.
After tallying 26 touches in his first two games this season, Barkley was limited to 12 touches in Week 4 and 20 against the Browns last week. He is accustomed to being the hub of an offense from his time in New York — Philadelphia should return to relying on him more often moving forward.
While Barkley’s recent play is frustrating, this should be looked at as a blip rather than a major concern. There are still plenty of moving parts as Sirianni and Eagles OC Kellen Moore continue their behind-the-scenes struggle for offensive control. Regardless of who is calling the shots, Barkley will be the answer. He has logged at least 56% of offensive snaps in each game and 79% or greater in four of five games.
Should Barkley managers be worried?
Bell cow running backs are a dying breed in the NFL, but Barkley is about as close as a player will come. He is a capable pass catcher who has been underutilized in this facet of the game having recorded just 14 receptions so far this season.
Take some deep breaths. Better days are ahead for Barkley and the Eagles. There is plenty of turbulence within the organization, but the star running back is in line to be crowned the team MVP when the season is over.
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