The Philadelphia Eagles have had a stacked offense for years. They added a huge weapon last offseason, running back Saquon Barkley. It was one of the best moves of the year. Barkley led the league in rushing, ripping off huge runs regularly. While the defense shined in the Super Bowl, the former top-five pick was essential to the success of the team. After a historic season, the team is rewarding him with a contract extension.
Philadelphia Eagles Extend Saquon Barkley
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the Philadelphia Eagles are signing Saquon Barkley to a two-year, $41.2 million extension. This makes him the highest-paid running back in NFL history and the league’s first $20+ million a year running back. It doesn’t stop there. As with many contracts, additional incentives come with another $15 million. At signing, $36 million of the contract is guaranteed. It isn’t hard to see why the Eagles are rewarding him.
Barkley rushed for 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns this season, sitting in the final game instead of gunning for Eric Dickerson’s single-season record. In addition to the rushing, he caught 33 passes for 278 yards and another two scores. He finished third in MVP voting, unheard of for a running back, and was named first-team All-Pro and Offensive Player of the Year. The Philadelphia Eagles want to make sure he is a part of their offense for years to come.
Can He Duplicate Last Year?
Anytime a player has a historic season like Saquon Barkley, the question becomes whether he can follow it up the next year. The good news for the Philadelphia Eagles is that most of their offense will remain intact. Jalen Hurts, AJ Brown, and Devonta Smith are locked up, and the offensive line will not change drastically either. Many wondered if the retirement of Jason Kelce last season would affect things. It did not.
There is no reason why Barkley cannot follow up last year with another huge season. While he may not rush for 2,000 yards, he doesn’t need to in order to make this contract worth it. Even if he had 1,500 yards and another 300 yards receiving, that would be a monster of a season. NFL fans have to be happy to see this, as Barkley is one of the most fun players to watch in the league.
Final Thoughts
Teams have recently not been willing to pay running backs big money. That might be changing because of last year. It wasn’t just Saquon Barkley. Derrick Henry and Josh Jacobs signed huge free-agent deals and finished in the top five for rushing yards. Good on the Eagles for rewarding a player who had a historic season.
