Saquon Barkely & the Power of a Trade

Ellie Duffy ’26 in Sports | November 15, 2024

          Saquon Barkley, a player with one of the most intriguing and athletic highlight reels ever, is in the midst of a legendary season with his new team, the Philadelphia Eagles. A veteran of the National Football League (NFL), Barkley is a New York native from the Bronx who began his career playing football at Penn State University. Barkley was drafted by the New York Giants in July of 2018 and spent seven years building his name in New York. This past spring, an unexpected trade occurred, and Barkley switched teams from the Giants to the Eagles.
 
          Before coming to the Eagles, Barkley was known as one of the best running backs in the league, playing under coaches Pat Shurmur, Joe Judge, and Brian Daboll. In his six seasons in New York, he totaled 5,211 rushing yards and 35 touchdowns. He was also selected to play in two Pro-Bowls and was named Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2018. Even in the early stages of his career, Barkley had been a game-changing player for the Giants.

          After learning about the Barkley trade within the NFC East division this past spring, Giants fans were angered at losing one of their best players to the rival Eagles team. Despite frustrated Giants fans, Barkley excited the Eagles fanbase. Who hoped to see their team bounceback after a rough end to the 2023 season. Barkley has exceeded all expectations in only nine games this season. So far, he has 991 rushing yards and scored six touchdowns on 171 carries. Barkley has also become one of only two Eagles in history to win NFC Offensive Player of the Week three times in one season. Although Barkley had been  an effective player under the Giants, the Eagles have put him in the optimal scenario for . With one of the best offensive lines in the league led by Lane Johnson, Cam Jurgens, and Landon Dickerson, Barkley’s supporting cast has improved dramatically compared to what he had while playing for the weaker Giants team. 

          During the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Barkley proved his unmatched athleticism when he “reverse hurdled” a player, jumping backwards over defender Jarrian Jones and gaining 14 yards on the carry. This play has spread all over the Internet, leaving fans in awe of his big play ability, which separates him from any other player in the NFL. 

          The future is undeniably bright for Barkely and the Eagles. The team currently sits at 7-2, and if they keep playing like this, there is no telling how many more jaw-dropping plays Barkely will produce throughout the rest of the season.