It’s official: Saquon Barkley is now the highest-paid running back in the history of the NFL. This comes after signing a two-year extension with the Philadelphia Eagles worth 41.2 million dollars.
Saquon Barkley was by far the best running back in the league last season, and the Eagles recognized that. He was an integral part of their Super Bowl run, taking a lot of pressure off the passing game. After seeing what happened with the Giants, Howie Roseman didn’t plan on taking any chances.
Philly will have Barkley under contract until the 2028-2029 season. Signing your high-impact guys quickly and efficiently has been one of the most proven ways to have long-term team success in this league, and Roseman recognized that.
Quite simply, Saquon was by far and away the most impactful running back this past season. Rushing for 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns, he had a phenomenal regular season. He didn’t slow down in the playoffs either; in four games, he had 499 yards and five touchdowns. On top of all that, he set the single-season rushing record, including the playoffs, en route to his first Super Bowl win. If Roseman hadn’t decided to sign Barkley in the offseason, the Eagles would have had a much tougher time winning the Super Bowl.
This is a big deal, not just for Barkley but for the running back position in general. Future crops of RBs were riding on an Eagles Super Bowl win, as it would prove that the position was worth more than what the market thought. Hopefully, this contract will reset their market, giving them a better chance at making more money in their upcoming contracts. This deal comes at a great time with guys with contracts up, like Aaron Jones and Najee Harris. This should give them the leverage to secure some extra money on their next contract.
This is a big day for Barkley and his fellow running backs. As Neil Armstrong said, “That’s one small step for Saquon Barkley, one giant leap for running backs”. It will be interesting to see if this big contract pans out, though, as many will remember CMC’s big contract didn’t work out as the Panthers would have liked.
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