It seems the reviews of the dying 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, usually, 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 one of the best worth at working again and saving {dollars} that may be unfold round to different positions could be a clever strategy.
However there are exceptions.
The Philadelphia Eagles understood this—and it’s the first motive they’re in Tremendous Bowl LIX and dealing with 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 Large to a three-year, $37.75 million contract final offseason.
“We’re all the time in search of inefficiencies within the market,” Lurie stated at an house owners assembly final March. “And if we expect the league is overvaluing the place or undervaluing a place, we are going to attempt our greatest … (to) make the most of these inefficiencies.”
Operating backs clearly have been being undervalued, and the Eagles noticed the worth in a uncommon working again akin 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 wanting Eric Dickerson’s document regardless of sitting out the ultimate recreation 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 development that had seen the usual for particular person dashing yards drop persistently after Henry’s milestone season. The next league leaders—Jonathan Taylor (1,811 in 2021), Josh Jacobs (1,653 in 2022) and Christian McCaffrey (1,459 in 2023)—gained a mean of practically 200 fewer yards than their most instant predecessors although their seasons atop the dashing leaders coincided with the enlargement to a 17-game season.
Philadelphia leaned extra closely on Barkley throughout the stretch run. He averaged practically 25 carries per recreation within the final seven video games he performed in throughout the common season after averaging practically 19 within the earlier 9.
After ending with a comparatively pedestrian 119 dashing yards and no touchdowns in a wild-card win towards the Packers, Barkley had 205 dashing 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 change 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 Helpful Participant awards have been received by quarterbacks, and nobody could be stunned 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 for the reason that Broncos’ Terrell Davis did it 27 years in the past. Since then, 5 huge 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 recreation.
However no matter any particular person awards that is perhaps forthcoming, Barkley and the Eagles have already proven simply how precious a working again nonetheless could be.
You’ve simply acquired to seek out the best one—like Philadelphia did.