One thing is clear about the Philadelphia Eagles: their offense struggles without star running back Saquon Barkley.
For the first time since joining the Eagles in 2024, Barkley missed a game after suffering a hamstring injury in Week 4 against the Los Angeles Rams. Without Barkley in their Week 5 London showdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Eagles lost 19-17 on a last-second field goal.
Optimism is growing that Barkley could return to start in Week 6 against the Carolina Panthers. Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion wouldn’t mind having his top skill player back.
Sean Mannion Opens Up About Potential Saquon Barkley Return for Philadelphia Eagles
Mannion spoke with reporters on Tuesday, where he said the offense wouldn’t have Barkley. He understands how important the 2024 Offensive Player of the Year is for the team.
“Saquon is a unique talent. That’s indisputable, right? So, there are things that he can do that there’s a very, very, very short list of people on the planet that can do. The beauty of it is I do feel really confident in our depth. [RB] Tank [Bigsby] going out due to injury, but he’s a really, really quality backup running back in this league. So, there may be some things that change when Saquon goes out and Tank goes in, but the nice thing is with the depth that we have at that position, just as an example, it’s not as many as you might expect because of the depth of our roster, the confidence we have in those guys. So, there’s tweaks here and there that come up with different injuries, whether it be at the running back position, receiver position, O-line, but in large, the confidence that we have in our group makes it where that’s easier to manage than you may think.”
This season, Barkley has rushed 36 times for 182 yards, averaging 5.1 yards per carry. He has also caught 4 passes for 8 yards.
Saquon Barkley Could Give Eagles Offense Boost It Desperately Needs
Barkley would return at a perfect time, as running backs are getting slammed with injuries. Tank Bigsby is on IR with his knee injury, and Will Shipley got hurt in the Jaguars game and will miss the next few weeks. Philly finished the game with Dameon Pierce and Carson Steele at running back.
The Eagles’ offense couldn’t run the football at all against the Jaguars. They finished with just 22 yards on 18 carries, barely getting over 1 yard per carry.
If Barkley can return for the Panthers game, it would completely change how the offense looks. After weeks of struggles, a star running back like Barkley could help the offense thrive moving forward.
Eagles’ Sean Mannion Gave ‘Indisputable’ Truth on Life Without Saquon Barkley