It seems the stories of the demise of the dominant working again within the NFL have been vastly exaggerated.
There have been many “sizzling takes” in the previous few years about backs being devalued within the NFL. And it’s true that, normally, offenses are extra pass-heavy than ever earlier than and that the realities of the wage cap could make it extra prudent to not make investments excessive first-round picks and exceptionally profitable contracts on working backs.
Moreover, discovering the perfect worth at working again and saving {dollars} that may be unfold round to different positions could be a sensible strategy.
However there are exceptions.
The Philadelphia Eagles understood this—and it’s the first cause they’re in Tremendous Bowl LIX and going through the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs subsequent Sunday within the Caesars Superdome.
Eagles CEO Jeffrey Lurie, basic supervisor Howie Roseman, head coach Nick Sirianni and offensive coordinator Kellen Moore knew Saquon Barkley was distinctive after watching him excel for six seasons with the NFC East rival Giants.
Lurie defined the Eagles’ thought course of shortly after they signed the previous Big to a three-year, $37.75 million contract final offseason.
“We’re all the time on the lookout for inefficiencies within the market,” Lurie mentioned at an house owners assembly final March. “And if we predict the league is overvaluing the place or undervaluing a place, we are going to strive our greatest … (to) reap the benefits of these inefficiencies.”
Operating backs clearly have been being undervalued, and the Eagles noticed the worth in a uncommon working again equivalent to Barkley, who rushed for two,005 yards this season, the eighth most in a single season in NFL historical past. He completed 100 yards in need of Eric Dickerson’s document regardless of sitting out the ultimate sport of the season as a result of Philadelphia was locked into the No. 2 seed within the NFC.
It was the primary 2,000-yard season within the NFL since Derrick Henry had 2,027 for the Titans in 2020, which was the one different 2,000-yard season since 2013.
Barkley reversed a pattern that had seen the usual for particular person speeding yards drop persistently after Henry’s milestone season. The following league leaders—Jonathan Taylor (1,811 in 2021), Josh Jacobs (1,653 in 2022) and Christian McCaffrey (1,459 in 2023)—gained a median of almost 200 fewer yards than their most fast predecessors despite the fact that their seasons atop the speeding leaders coincided with the enlargement to a 17-game season.
Philadelphia leaned extra closely on Barkley through the stretch run. He averaged almost 25 carries per sport within the final seven video games he performed in through the common season after averaging almost 19 within the earlier 9.
After ending with a comparatively pedestrian 119 speeding yards and no touchdowns in a wild-card win towards the Packers, Barkley had 205 speeding yards and two touchdowns in a divisional-round win towards the Rams and 118 yards and three touchdowns within the NFC Championship win over the Commanders.
He has an NFL-record three 60-plus-yard landing runs within the final two video games. If he has one other landing run of 60 or extra yards towards the Chiefs, he’ll develop into the primary participant in NFL historical past to have a 60-plus-yard landing run in three consecutive video games.
Barkley is successful again respect for working backs.
The final 11 NFL Most Useful Participant awards have been received by quarterbacks, and nobody can be shocked if Lamar Jackson or Josh Allen have been to make it 12 straight, however Barkley has been broadly mentioned as a robust candidate. That alone is a fairly important accomplishment in 2024-2025.
A working again hasn’t received the Tremendous Bowl MVP award because the Broncos’ Terrell Davis did it 27 years in the past. Since then, 5 vast receivers, three linebackers and one cornerback have received the award.
If Philadelphia have been to win the Tremendous Bowl, the chances are fairly good that Barkley would win the MVP award for that sport.
However no matter any particular person awards that is likely to be forthcoming, Barkley and the Eagles have already proven simply how precious a working again nonetheless will be.
You’ve simply bought to search out the best one—like Philadelphia did.
