Saquon Barkley // Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
The Philadelphia Eagles have a new weapon, and his name is Saquon Barkley. What a debut for Barkley in an Eagles sweater on Friday against the Green Bay Packers. Barkley had 26 touches and 132 yards of scrimmage, including three touchdowns, in the Eagles 34-29 win over the Packers.
One person who is happy about the Eagles' new offensive weapon is actor and Philadelphia native Michael Blackson, who RG.org had the pleasure of speaking with on the Blue Carpet outside the 40/40 club at Fanatics Fest.
"We finally have a running game," Blackson said. "They are talented, and we have Saquon Barkley, and now we have a running game."
There is a lot of hype around the Eagles with the weapons they have on offence with Jalen Hurts, Devante Smith, and AJ Brown, and the addition of Barkley gives them another element to their game they did not have last season. Barkley's ability to break tackles and find holes in the offensive line, allowing him to use his breakaway speed, is a dynamic weapon opposing defenses must prepare for.
Barkley was taken by the New York Giants second overall in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. While there was a lot of criticism about taking a running back that high, his play backed it up on the field. He won Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2018 with his former club, the Giants.
Though he had some injury issues, Barkley was a difference-maker for the Giants on the field. He was Quarterback Daniel Jones's safety net when the Giants made it to the second round of the playoffs in 2022. That year, Barkley had 1312 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns. In addition, he had 338 receiving yards. He was the Giants offence in the playoffs against the Minnesota Vikings with two scores totalling 114 yards rushing.
So when contract negotiations went south, you knew things would not end well. The Giants franchise tagged him instead of giving him a longer-term extension. He eventually signed a one-year deal worth $10.9 million last year to stay in New York. However, this year, the Giants and Barkley could not agree.
As Barkley told the media, "The Giants were never in play for his services."
Barkley ends up signing a three-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles worth $37.75 million. He is making the money he feels the Giants should have paid him: $15.833 million a season. The contract could go as high as $46.75 million, and he is getting $26 million guaranteed.
So Friday night was just the start for Saquon Barkley and the Eagles. As Michael Blackson stated expect Barkley to have a monster season and prove why they should have paid him to his old team, the Giants.
"Of course, I mean, they (Giants) didn't give him the money that he wanted. So he will want to prove it and show them why they are going to miss him for the rest of the season," Blackson said. "That's what you do against your old team. You go all out for your new team and show them why they should have kept him."
Not only does he expect big things from Barkley and the Eagles, but he has high expectations for this season. It sounds like Super Bowl or Bust.
It's going to be great. I mean, we look so flawless. We're going to the Super Bowl," Blackson. "We were supposed to go, and we're gonna go. I feel confident in my team this year.They have everything going for them, including a great defense. I'm excited about the season."
Of course, questions surround head coach Nick Sirianni this season. Last year did not end well for the Eagles after starting 10-1. They lost five of their last six games. In the Wild Card round of the Playoffs, they were defeated by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 32-9, looking like a shell of their former selves from the beginning of the season. So, it is a must for the Eagles to get off to a good start.
It is only one game, but the Philadelphia Eagles with Saquon Barkley look like the team to beat, and that will make Michael Blackson very happy, especially if the offense continues to look this good.
Having 10 years of experience (SiriusXM NHL Network Radio, Rod Pedersen Show, Raw Mike Richards Show, and more) covering the Devils, the NHL along with College Football, the NFL, and the tennis circuit Jim Biringer has wealth of sports knowledge. As one of Jim's hockey coaches put it he is a "student of the game." During his time as a sports reporter, Biringer has covered some of the biggest events including most recently the 2024 Stanley Cup Final along with several NHL Drafts. He is also the host of the Full Press Hockey Podcast and Final Word on Hockey plus Around Campus - The College Football Podcast.
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