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

The Eagles made one of many greatest strikes of NFL free company by signing operating again Saquon Barkley final week. I loved going again and watching a few of Barkley’s movie from this previous season (the much less mentioned concerning the Giants’ offense, the higher) and I’m so excited to look at him play for the Eagles this yr.

Stats

The numbers don’t look ‘elite’ nevertheless it’s laborious to excel at operating again with no robust offensive line. I’m not anxious concerning the numbers right here.
Barkley rating 4th in cross block snaps and sixteenth in effectivity is sweet to see. Extra on that later…
The speeding yards over expectation numbers are considerably higher than D’Andre Swift. Which doesn’t shock me in any respect.

Strengths

+ He’s a uncommon athlete. You don’t get drafted 2nd total with out elite bodily instruments. He has all of the instruments you search for – dimension, burst, velocity, and energy. He’s a 3-down foundational again who can do all of it.

+ He has an unbelievable juke/bounce reduce which confirmed up constantly on tape. It’s laborious to explain how good it’s and the way shortly he strikes laterally. Simply watch it for your self!

A reminder that this isn’t a small again doing this… this man is no less than 230lbs!

+ The power to chop and alter course while following his blocks is actually good. He has excellent 2nd stage imaginative and prescient.

+ That is crucial one on the listing. He’s a extremely good and prepared cross protector. Kellen Moore likes to maintain an additional participant in to dam, so having a again who can cross shield is necessary. He can deal with linebackers one-on-one and can even assist out his linemen to take care of opposing defensive tackles.

+ He’s a really robust receiving again who can run routes from the backfield in addition to the slot. He seems to be like a pure fingers catcher who can catch away from his physique and can even create yards after the catch.

+ He can match each single scheme. He can run inside zone/exterior zone, but additionally excels on hole ideas the place he can simply rise up the sector shortly. There’s nothing he can’t do. Personally, I’m anticipating the Eagles to run much more exterior zone subsequent yr I believe Barkley is incredible at this because it permits him to only make one-cut and get upfield.

+ He could make particular performs that only a few operating backs can do. If you’ll pay a operating again, I have to see performs like this on movie.

+ He has the scale and energy to run via smaller defensive backs, in addition to smaller linebackers, and it’s straightforward to neglect that he’s a strong man with a thick construct as a result of he’s so explosive in brief areas.

+ Lots of Saquon Barkley’s poor statistical output in 2023 was right down to a horrible Giants’ offense and offensive line. Even a incredible operating again will battle with no good offensive line and system. Don’t fear concerning the numbers… simply watch the movie.

+ It is a bizarre energy so as to add, however I wished to throw it in there. Watching the total video games of the all22, you can inform when Matt Breida was taking part in fairly than Barkley within the Giants’ offense as a result of he seemed so small and gradual as compared. Barkley simply strikes otherwise.

Weaknesses

– I had some feedback about his velocity and explosiveness. Within the video games I watched, he seemed electrical 90% of the time however he had a number of reps right here and there the place he seemed a little bit sluggish when it comes to lengthy velocity. He may have been damage in fact and I believe he’s a participant who does play with a number of minor accidents right here and there. I believe it’s truthful to say he’s not as quick as he was as a rookie early in his profession, however I’m not too anxious about it except he begins to choose up lots of accidents.

– I believe he’s responsible of typically doing a little bit an excessive amount of. There are occasions when there are holes and he tries to do some an excessive amount of.

– Final yr he had a ten% drop charge and I seen a pair on movie. His profession drop charge is round 8% which is above the opposite prime receiving backs. I ponder if this can be a focus problem as a lot as a method one.

General

I completely love this transfer. The extra I watched Barkley, the extra excited I turned. I’m all about good group constructing, and wise spending, however sports activities are supposed to be enjoyable. I wish to get pleasure from watching my group each week. Saquon Barkley goes to be a lot enjoyable. Who the hell doesn’t wish to watch this man within the Eagles’ offense? Simply watch the clips above!

There are lots of excellent operating backs on this league, however there are only a few whose highs are as excessive as Saquon Barkley’s. When he’s totally wholesome, he’s pretty much as good and proficient as anybody on this league. Working backs don’t go at 2 total except they’re superstars. You want superstars to win on this league, and Barkley is a celebrity expertise.

I’m shocked that I maintain listening to folks happening concerning the problem with paying operating backs. Simply take a look at the precise amount of cash Barkley is getting! He’s getting much less cash than position gamers corresponding to Darnell Mooney and Gabe Davis. Howie Roseman has clearly noticed a market inefficiency, as all good basic managers ought to, and it’s reached the purpose the place operating backs are so underpaid that they signify actually good worth. Does anybody actually assume Gabe Davis goes to vary the Jaguars’ offense greater than Saquon Barkley will over the following 2 years? Barkley’s deal is just for a few years anyway, so this isn’t a deal that’s going to price the Eagles down the road and forestall future spending.

I’ve to be trustworthy, I’m not a fan generally of paying operating backs to a 2nd contact. I might simply maintain drafting them each few years, as a substitute of paying good however not nice operating backs (corresponding to D’Andre Swift, Tony Pollard, and many others) however Saquon Barkley shouldn’t be in the identical tier as this. I’m completely on board with paying elite operating backs as a result of they’ll make an enormous distinction to your offense. If I’m going to pay a operating again, they higher be a top-5 expertise in any other case I don’t assume its a wise transfer. I beforehand mentioned the Eagles ought to cross on re-signing Swift, they usually made the correct resolution not paying him.

The very best factor about Saquon Barkley on this offense is that he doesn’t have to hold all the offense on his again anymore. He is only one of many excellent gamers on this offense, and that ought to permit him to not have to hold the load each single week and that may hopefully maintain him more healthy because the season progresses.

Lastly, if you would like much more on Bryce Huff and Saquon Barkley, only a reminder that I now podcast for BGN Radio each single week!

Thanks for checking this one out and as all the time, feedback and questions are appreciated. Till subsequent time!