Prior to last week’s Saquon Barkley signing, it had been a while since the Eagles sprang for an upper-echelon running back contract. The team did pay up for DeMarco Murray in 2015, but that came during the year Howie Roseman found himself demoted in favor of Chip Kelly. The most recent Roseman-directed RB payment of note came in 2012, when the team gave LeSean McCoy a five-year, $45MM extension.
Illustrating where running back value has gone over the past 12 years, the Eagles now have Barkley tied to a three-year, $37.75MM contract. Barkley’s bet on himself at the franchise tag deadline paid off, with the Eagles giving him $26MM fully guaranteed. That tops the Giants’ 2023 offer and will now be tacked onto the $10.1MM he earned on the franchise tag.
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Barkley coming out of this grim RB market on top comes after D’Andre Swift became the first commit during the legal tampering period. The Bears gave the 2023 Eagles starter a three-year, $24MM deal that McLane notes features $15.28MM fully guaranteed. That represents a nice pickup for Swift, who slightly outperformed Miles Sanders‘ 2023 guarantee number ($13MM).
Although the Eagles were not interested in keeping Sanders, they monitored the Swift market. However, the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane indicates the team pivoted as the Swift market moved outside of where it valued the 2023 Pro Bowler.
This meant giving more money to Barkley, but it is clear the Eagles viewed the gap between the two RB talents as wide. The Eagles ranked first in rushing yards before contact last season and 32nd post-contact, per SI.com’s Albert Breer, who notes that played into the team’s decision with Barkley. The two-time Giants Pro Bowler is one of six RBs with over 1,000 yards after contact over the past two seasons. Next Gen Stats ranked Swift in the bottom 10 in terms of rushing yards over expected (minus-65), with McLane adding issues in pass protection were also part of the Eagles’ valuation.
The Eagles also felt the Giants underutilized Barkley in the passing game. Barkley himself expressed this stance around the time of last year’s franchise tag deadline. In the years following Pat Shurmur‘s exit, Barkley did not make a major statistical impact as a receiver. He has not eclipsed 350 receiving yards in a season since 2019. During his 2018 Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign, the former No. 2 overall pick totaled 721 yards through the air. That said, the Eagles have not used backs much in the passing game since committing to Jalen Hurts as their starter. A productive receiver at points in Detroit, Swift totaled just 214 receiving yards in 17 games last season.
Swift, 25, does feature far less wear and tear compared to Barkley, 27; that undoubtedly played into the Bears’ decision to bring in the ex-Lions second-rounder. Swift sits at 593 career carries; Barkley exited 2023 with 1,201. Considering the Eagle rushing attack’s success with talents like Sanders and Swift at the forefront, it will be interesting to see how Barkley fares behind a top-tier offensive line — a luxury he never enjoyed with the Giants.
The Eagles have gone so far as to guarantee a bit of Barkley’s 2026 salary. Although the bulk of Barkley’s final year ($12MM) is nonguaranteed, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero notes $1.5MM of that amount is locked in at signing. An additional $1MM will become guaranteed that March, giving the Eagles an out window two years down the road.
Their Barkley-based deviation at running back will still make their 2024 and ’25 approaches fascinating. Barkley’s showing on this contract will also be important through a macro lens at a position that has taken a slew of value hits — many coming in 2023 — over the past several years.
So what this dude is saying is that Swift signing with the Bears for 24 with 16 guaranteed was too much for them. So they gave more money to a much more beat up guy, Not just more money but way more money to an older guy. I’m going out to talk to the tree in my front yard to try and make sense of this article. If I don’t post for awhile it’s because of the headache.
“the Swift market moved outside of where it valued the 2023 Pro Bowler.” – there’s your answer
If Barkley beats what Swift did last year for the Eagles then that’ll make sense. I mean, before they’ve even played a down, you could just as fairly say they overpaid Barkley.
I think people are a little to down on the RB market, however I do think it’s weird to pay more for a guy with double the career carries when Philly has proven they could probably draft a mid round guy and get 1000 out of them, Tony Pollard is the real overpay, and the fact that anyone traded for accumulator Joe Mixon are the most baffling RB moves this off-season
Agreed.
Correct. They were not comfortable with what they felt was an overpay of Swift. So, they decided instead to overpay Barkley even more. They really wanted to overpay for a RB and had to top the overpay Swift received in order to top the overpay market.
However, the overpay of the RB market has yet to reach the Russel Wilson/DeShaun Watson level of the QB overpay. There you go. Clear as mud.
The whole gist of my post is with the headline. D’andre Swift price leads Eagles to shift to Barkley. So either the guy who wrote it is an idiot( Probably), Or we’re idiots for even reading it because after that it makes zero sense( again probably), Or I’m an idiot for commenting on something that is stupid( Most assuredly). Remember the name Sam Robinson, On second thought forget it. Not even Stephen King could make up stuff like that.
PHI defense is again taking losses. Not sure adding offense makes a difference.
Barkley fumbles just once for every 248 touches (carries + receptions). Swift fumbles once every 87 touches. In a league where turnovers often decide game outcomes I know which guy I would rather pay a premium for.
Swift right?