Eagles Film Review: Saquon Barkley is going to be so much fun

The Eagles made one of the biggest moves of NFL free agency by signing running back Saquon Barkley last week. I enjoyed going back and watching some of Barkley’s film from this past season (the less said about the Giants’ offense, the better) and I’m so excited to watch him play for the Eagles this year.

Stats

• The numbers do not look ‘elite’ but it’s hard to excel at running back without a strong offensive line. I’m not worried about the numbers here.
• Barkley ranking 4th in pass block snaps and 16th in efficiency is good to see. More on that later…
• The rushing yards over expectation numbers are significantly better than D’Andre Swift. Which doesn’t surprise me at all.

Strengths

+ He is a rare athlete. You don’t get drafted 2nd overall without elite physical tools. He has all the tools you look for – size, burst, speed, and power. He’s a 3-down foundational back who can do it all.

+ He has an incredible juke/jump cut which showed up consistently on tape. It’s hard to describe how good it is and how quickly he moves laterally. Just watch it for yourself!

A reminder that this is not a small back doing this… this guy is at least 230lbs!

+ The ability to cut and change direction whilst following his blocks is really good. He has outstanding 2nd level vision.

+ This is the most important one on the list. He is a really good and willing pass protector. Kellen Moore likes to keep an extra player in to block, so having a back who can pass protect is important. He can handle linebackers one-on-one and will even help out his linemen to deal with opposing defensive tackles.

+ He’s a very strong receiving back who can run routes from the backfield as well as the slot. He looks like a natural hands catcher who can catch away from his body and can also create yards after the catch.

+ He can fit every single scheme. He can run inside zone/outside zone, but also excels on gap concepts where he can just get up the field quickly. There’s nothing he can’t do. Personally, I’m expecting the Eagles to run a lot more outside zone next year I think Barkley is fantastic at this as it allows him to just make one-cut and get upfield.

+ He can make special plays that very few running backs can do. If you are going to pay a running back, I need to see plays like this on film.

+ He has the size and power to run through smaller defensive backs, as well as smaller linebackers, and it’s easy to forget that he is a powerful man with a thick build because he’s so explosive in short areas.

+ A lot of Saquon Barkley’s poor statistical output in 2023 was down to a horrible Giants’ offense and offensive line. Even a fantastic running back will struggle without a good offensive line and system. Don’t worry about the numbers… just watch the film.

+ This is a weird strength to add, but I wanted to throw it in there. Watching the full games of the all22, you could tell when Matt Breida was playing rather than Barkley in the Giants’ offense because he looked so small and slow in comparison. Barkley just moves differently.

Weaknesses

– I had some comments about his speed and explosiveness. In the games I watched, he looked electric 90% of the time but he had a few reps here and there where he looked a little sluggish in terms of long speed. He could have been hurt of course and I think he is a player who does play with a few minor injuries here and there. I think it’s fair to say he’s not as fast as he was as a rookie early in his career, but I’m not too worried about it unless he starts to pick up a lot of injuries.

– I think he is guilty of sometimes doing a little too much. There are times when there are holes and he tries to do a little too much.

– Last year he had a 10% drop rate and I noticed a couple on film. His career drop rate is around 8% which is above the other top receiving backs. I wonder if this is a concentration issue as much as a technique one.

Overall

I absolutely love this move. The more I watched Barkley, the more excited I became. I am all about smart team building, and sensible spending, but sports are meant to be fun. I want to enjoy watching my team every week. Saquon Barkley is going to be so much fun. Who the hell doesn’t want to watch this guy in the Eagles’ offense? Just watch the clips above!

There are a lot of very good running backs in this league, but there are very few whose highs are as high as Saquon Barkley’s. When he is fully healthy, he is as good and talented as anyone in this league. Running backs do not go at 2 overall unless they are superstars. You need superstars to win in this league, and Barkley is a superstar talent.

I’m shocked that I keep hearing people going on about the issue with paying running backs. Just look at the actual amount of money Barkley is getting! He is getting less money than role players such as Darnell Mooney and Gabe Davis. Howie Roseman has clearly spotted a market inefficiency, as all good general managers should, and it’s reached the point where running backs are so underpaid that they represent really good value. Does anyone really think Gabe Davis is going to change the Jaguars’ offense more than Saquon Barkley will over the next 2 years? Barkley’s deal is only for a couple of years anyway, so this isn’t a deal that is going to cost the Eagles down the line and prevent future spending.

I have to be honest, I am not a fan in general of paying running backs to a 2nd contact. I would just keep drafting them every few years, instead of paying good but not great running backs (such as D’Andre Swift, Tony Pollard, etc) but Saquon Barkley is not in the same tier as this. I am totally on board with paying elite running backs because they can make a huge difference to your offense. If I am going to pay a running back, they better be a top-5 talent otherwise I don’t think its a smart move. I previously said the Eagles should pass on re-signing Swift, and they made the right decision not paying him.

The best thing about Saquon Barkley in this offense is that he doesn’t have to carry the entire offense on his back anymore. He is just one of many outstanding players in this offense, and that should allow him to not have to carry the load every single week and that will hopefully keep him healthier as the season progresses.

Lastly, if you want even more on Bryce Huff and Saquon Barkley, just a reminder that I now podcast for BGN Radio every single week!

Thanks for checking this one out and as always, comments and questions are appreciated. Until next time!