Was Saquon Barkley signing a brilliant move or unnecessary risk?

Was Saquon Barkley signing a brilliant move or unnecessary risk? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Saquon Barkley move is so out of character for Howie Roseman, and there are some very good reasons he had never signed a big-money free agent running back his first 13 seasons as Eagles GM.

The Eagles have always had success with cheap-o backs. In 2017, Corey Clement was an undrafted rookie making minimum wage, Jay Ajayi was on the final year of an almost minimum wage 5th-round rookie contract and LeGarrette Blount was barely making a million bucks, and those three combined for 255 yards in the Super Bowl.

In 2018, the Eagles’ leading rusher was another undrafted rookie, Josh Adams. Again, minimum wage. The other backs – Clement, Wendell Smallwood, Ajayi – weren’t making much more.

Miles Sanders arrived in 2019, and he was a 2nd-round pick, but his contract was a modest one: $5.35 million over four years. When that was up, he was gone. D’Andre Swift just signed a big contract with the Bears – $24 million over three years – but here? He was a Pro Bowler making under $2 million in 2023.

The Eagles went to two Super Bowls with budget running backs. They won a lot of games with budget running backs. They always had a top offense with budget running backs. Sanders and Swift both made Pro Bowls with cap figures around $1.7 million.

Roseman has his philosophy and it’s always worked.

And then we have $37.75 million for Saquon Barkley and everything we’ve known about Roseman goes out the window.

Barkley is an absolutely intriguing signing. When he’s at his best, he’s as good as any back in the league.

As a rookie in 2018, he joined LaDainian Tomlinson as only the second running back in NFL history with 1,300 rushing yards, a 5.0 average and 90 receptions. In 2022, he became only the ninth player in history with two seasons with 1,300 rushing yards, 10 TDs and 50 catches.

But here’s the thing. Those have been Barkley’s only elite seasons.

In 2019,…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/eagles-saquon-barkley-signing-brilliant-142449831.html

Author : NBC Sports Philadelphia

Publish date : 2024-03-12 14:40:06

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