Operating backs are again in fashion.
Or no less than these of Saquon Barkley’s caliber.
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Which can solely be Barkley, however that did not cease Buffalo Payments operating again James Cook dinner from taking discover to what the Philadelphia Eagles simply did for his or her celebrity.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter has reported that the Eagles simply made Barkley the highest-paid operating again in league historical past.
“Eagles are rewarding Saquon Barkley with a two-year, $41.2 million contract extension that makes him the highest-paid operating again in NFL historical past, per sources,” Schefter wrote on X.
“The deal makes Barkley the NFL’s first $20 million+ per-year operating again. Barkley additionally has the flexibility to earn an extra $15 million in incentives and escalators.
“The deal contains $36 million absolutely assured at signing.
“The Eagles are taking the uncommon step of extending Barkley one yr into his three-year deal – and in the identical league yr during which they signed him to the preliminary contract.”
Basic supervisor Howie Roseman would not care about precedents, he simply set a large one among his personal.
Barkley is coming off a historic season during which he set every kind of information, together with speeding for essentially the most yards in a single season (together with the postseason) with 2,504 yards.
He gained Offensive Participant of the 12 months and helped the Eagles win their second Lombardi Trophy in franchise historical past.
He’s loads definitely worth the extension.
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The query is, are there every other operating backs which can be?
The quick reply is not any.
Not even Cook dinner.
However that will not cease him from attempting to get within the neighborhood of Barkely’s price ticket.
Cook dinner quoted Schefter’s report with the eyes emoji, together with the shrug emoji on one other publish associated to Barkley’s extension.
He referred to what the Eagles did for his or her RB as “Good enterprise!”
Cook dinner has one yr remaining on his rookie contract that’s set to pay him $5.2 million subsequent season.
He has made it no secret in eager to signal an extension earlier than then.
Shortly after the season got here to a detailed, Cook dinner hinted at eager to be paid $15 million per yr on Instagram and doubled down on it once more on X.
The $15M wage he wishes would place him solely behind Barkley and San Francisco 49ers Christian McCaffrey, who’s at $16 million per yr.
Cook dinner tied for the lead league in speeding touchdowns final season, together with Derrick Henry and Jalen Hurts, at 19 apiece.
The 25-year-old is little question due for a considerable pay elevate, it is only a matter of how a lot?
And whereas he will not sniff Barkley’s $20M+ per yr, he might very properly get his want across the $15M vary.
At any time when a operating again will get paid, it is a win for your entire place.
The ground is elevated.
However what the Eagles and Barkley did, smashed by means of your entire ceiling.
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