PHILADELPHIA — If you’ve observed how physically Saquon Barkley plays and admired his ability to endure the hits he’s taken over the last six years, you probably wonder how much energy is remaining.
Will he be available in December, when the Eagles will require him most? He averaged 252 touches in his time with the New York Giants, many of which were harder collisions than if he had played behind a capable offensive line like Team Philly. (Full disclosure: about half of those games were on the terrible MetLife Stadium turf.)
The 27-year-old Barkley reacted defensively when asked about this on Thursday and mentioned the names of Walter Payton and Barry Sanders at his introductory press conference at the NovaCare Complex.
“I take pride in my body's care,” Barkley said. “I take pride in my training. And I believe in learning from the greats. The Walters, the Barrys, and many others. I'm not comparing myself to them, but many of them played into their 30s. I don't get into analytics. None of that stuff. I believe that the work you put in is what you get out. I'll just continue to have that mindset.”
The Eagles estimate Barkley has two productive seasons because the three-year deal worth $37.7 million he signed is essentially a two-year, $24.5 million deal, according to Overthecap.com, considering the potential out.
The great Walter Payton played until 34 with the Chicago Bears. He rushed for 1,300 or more yards in four consecutive seasons in his 30s.
Sanders only played until 30, as he rushed for 1,491 yards before suddenly retiring from the Detroit Lions. At 29, which is essentially your 30th year, Sanders ran for 2,053 yards. You understand the point.
Barkley (6-0, 228) is undoubtedly an imposing-looking running back who passes the visual assessment. After his press conference, he interacted with the press, shaking hands and greeting everyone. He certainly looks the part of a three-down back who can run, catch, and block. And that’s very important to him.
“Just look at the history of all the great running backs,” Barkley said. “All the great ones do that. So, I take pride in that. And I know I can continue to improve, whether it’s running the ball between the tackles, outside the tackles, catching the ball, pass blocking, all those things that really make you an every-down back.”
For better or worse, all we can do now is forecast, even though Barkley’s fan base is convinced he’ll pursue LeSean McCoy’s club record of 1,607 rushing yards set in 2013, Wilbert Montgomery’s mark of 1,512 rushing yards established in 1979, or Ricky Watters’ 1,411 rushing yards in 1996.
Watters did it almost entirely on his own as the Eagles’ O-line at that time was largely made up of players rejected by other teams, along with a quarterback-by-committee offense. His situation was remarkably similar to Barkley's with the Giants.
In addition to the offensive line, what appealed most to Barkley about the Eagles was triple threat quarterback Jalen Hurts and big-time weapons AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith, both of whom have recorded 1,000 receiving yards in each of the last two seasons. He didn’t mention how that would affect his touches.
Barkley expressed that he believes he is a talented player and still has much more to show on the field. He is eager to prove himself and demonstrate his abilities to the world.
The discussions about the Eagles' decision to sign Barkley are quite amusing until they actually play together. People either strongly support the signing or question why they didn't re-sign D'Andre Swift or choose a less expensive player who doesn't require the ball as much. Several other players were available, including Josh Jacobs, Aaron Jones, Tony Pollard, Austin Ekeler, and Derrick Henry.
Barkley's first impression was well received, as he appeared composed, genuine, and patient, particularly when calming his daughter Jada Claire, who wanted to ask a question while his family was present in the audience.
Barkley emphasized the significance of being closer to his hometown in the Lehigh Valley, especially spending time in Coplay.
Being closer to his hometown means his children can see their mother and grandparents, have Thanksgiving dinner at his mother's house, and have more interaction with aunts, uncles, and people who have followed his career from Whitehall High to Penn State and the Giants.
Although Barkley has missed games, he is relieved to no longer be in a contract dispute with the Giants, which likely affected his sense of security.
Barkley expressed his eagerness to move on from the business aspect of the last two years and focus on playing football and winning games, as he felt that many people approached him about getting tagged or discussing contracts leading up to this point.
To contact Bob Grotz, email [email protected]
