Is there reason to believe that the Philadelphia Eagles would be willing to trade away star running back Saquon Barkley??
The Eagles started the 2026 season 2-0, but have dropped three straight games, and it feels like the sky is falling in Philly.
Barkley has been dealing with a lower-body injury over the past couple of weeks, but there’s newfound speculation surrounding his name and the potential of him being moved.
The Green Bay Packers, who are starting to find their footing after a poor start, stand out as a potential landing spot for Barkley in what would be a seismic trade across the NFL.
Let’s take a look at what a Saquon Barkley trade to the Packers could look like.
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Packers Trade Idea Nets Saquon Barkley for Draft Compensation
Here is what a hypothetical trade package to land Saquon Barkley could look like for the Packers:
- Packers receive: RB Saquon Barkley
- Eagles receive: Conditional 4th-round draft pick
This is a big swing for the Packers, but it’s a play not only to salvage the season amid the literal worst rushing attack in football, but to protect against the possibility that the NFL either doesn’t reinstate Josh Jacobs for a considerable period of time and/or Green Bay decides it doesn’t want to bring him back into the fold.
Jacobs remains on the Commissioner’s Exempt List due to a domestic incident in May. There is video of said incident that the league is trying to, and potentially could, obtain. Video of Ray Rice’s domestic incident became public and he never played in the NFL again. Meanwhile, the Packers are struggling to do anything on offense after dealing for Kaleb Johnson didn’t add much to a room with MarShawn Lloyd and Chris Brooks.
The Eagles just lost tackle Lane Johnson to a mid-season retirement and traded OL Cam Jurgens to the Ravens after flipping AJ Brown to the Patriots this offseason. Philly’s offense is struggling mightily and Barkley has left two of four games this seaosn early with injury. He is currently week to week with a hamstring issue and could miss a game or two. But when he returns, he will do so at age 29 and among the elite RBs still lining up across the league. His age, injury history and contract cost ($41.2 million extension that starts next year and runs through 2028) should push his trade value down somewhat.
A conditional fourth-rounder is good value on the Packers’ side, bumping to a third-rounder if he plays a certain number of snaps or if Green Bay makes the playoffs, etc. Otherwise, the Eagles get off an expensive RB contract for a fourth as they rebuild over the next two drafts.
Saquon Barkley is tied to a two-year, $41.2 million contract that runs through the 2028 season.
Spotrac.com wrote (about Barkley’s contract):
“Saquon Barkley signed a 2 year, $41,200,000 contract with the Philadelphia Eagles, including $36,000,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $20,600,000. In 2026, Barkley will earn a base salary of $1,300,000, a signing bonus of $15,450,000 and a workout bonus of $100, while carrying a cap hit of $9,881,100 and a dead cap value of $38,789,100.”
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Would Trading for Saquon Barkley Be Wise for the Packers?
Saquon Barkley is currently dealing with a leg issue, and his production has certainly slowed because of it, so while this trade idea is a low price to obtain the All-Pro running back, his contract becomes the main issue for hesitation.
Barkley has carried the ball 36 times this season, and he’s logged 182 yards (5.1 y/a), and no rushing touchdowns.
As of October 12, 2026, there’s a real football case for exploring the deal. Recent reports have highlighted Green Bay’s need for more production at running back, while Barkley has been dealing with a hamstring injury. Trade proposals have surfaced, but that doesn’t mean a deal is imminent.
Saquon Barkley has the explosiveness to turn an ordinary run into a big play. Adding that threat could help quarterback Jordan Love by forcing defenses to respect the run and creating opportunities for play-action passes.
It will be very interesting to see how the Philadelphia Eagles handle the NFL trade deadline this season, especially if they continue to drop games in disatrous fashion like they have in the past two weeks.
Packers Trade Idea Lands Eagles’ $41.2 Million Star Running Back for Draft Capital