Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1518105
6 4 A P R I L 2 0 2 4 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M F o r m e r Pe n n S ta te running back Saquon Barkley is returning home to Pennsylvania. The seventh-year NFL running back finally hit free agency after being selected by the New York Giants with the second overall pick in the 2018 draft and is now a Phila- delphia Eagle. Barkley bet on him- self last season, signing a one-year adjusted fran- chise tag that paid him $11 million. With the Giants unwilling to use the fran- chise tag a second year in a row, the Coplay, Pa., native hit the free-agent market and cashed in with a massive deal: $37.75 mil- lion over three years, with $26 million guaranteed. During his tenure in New York, Barkley saw action in only two playoff games. In Philadelphia, he will be playing for a team that has been to the playoffs all three seasons under coach Nick Sirianni and reached the Super Bowl two years ago. The Eagles appeared as though they were headed back to the title game in 2023 but stumbled to losses in five of their last six regular-season games and bowed out with a 32-9 loss to Tampa Bay in the wild card round of the playoffs. Barkley said that playing for an NFC East rival gave him a unique perspective on what Philadelphia has been trying to build in recent years. "Watching them from far away, ev- erything this team is about, everything this city is about, they have that men- tality," he said. "They want to win. Last year being 11-6 and making it to the first round, that's a down year. That's the great coaching I want to be a part of. We have to have that mindset that we want to do way more. "I know how special this place is, and I know how special a player I believe I can be. I'm just happy to be a part of it." The Eagles hope that the 27-year-old Barkley can revitalize the team's rush- ing attack, which took a step backward last season after offensive coordinator Shane Steichen left to become head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. The Eagles had posed massive prob- lems for NFL defenses in 2022, with re- ceivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith stretching defenses thin and creating room for for- mer Penn State running back Miles Sanders. Phila- delphia generated a league- best 96 explosive run plays during its sprint to the NFC championship and a spot in the Super Bowl. The Eagles still managed to finish in the top half of the league last season in that category, but their to- tal declined to 53 explosive runs. After the season, the team fired coordinator Brian Johnson and replaced him with Kellen Moore, who had previously overseen the Los Angeles Chargers' offense. Both at Penn State and in the NFL, Barkley has been known for his big-play running style. According to Pro Football Focus, 2,002 of his 5,211 career rushing yards with the Giants came on breakaway runs. Due to injuries, Barkley played in only two games in 2020 and missed time the following season as well, but he's been a dangerous runner and pass receiver when healthy. Last year, 31.7 percent of his rushing yards came on breakaway runs, a figure that ranked seventh among running backs with starter-level touches. Barkley's arrival in Philadelphia fig- ures to diversify the Eagles' running game and help protect quarterback Jalen Hurts. Last season, Hurts played injured for much of the year, which limited his effectiveness in read-option and quar- terback-run situations. The Eagles have called more read- option plays than any other NFL team since Sirianni took over in 2021. Hurts' Saquon Barkley Sees Opportunity For Fresh Start In Philly T H O M A S F R A N K CA R R | T F R A N K . C A R R @ O N 3 . C O M PSU IN THE PROS After amassing 7,311 total yards (5,211 rushing, 2,100 receiving) in six seasons with the Giants, Barkley signed a three-year deal with Philadelphia that will pay him $37.75 million. PHOTO COURTESY PHILADELPHIA EAGLES