The Philadelphia Eagles have been suffering over the last two weeks without their star running back, Saquon Barkley, in the starting lineup, but that might change soon, and the timing couldn't be better.
Philly made some interesting moves on Tuesday, starting with running back Carson Steele being placed on IR with a shoulder injury, making him the third Eagles back on IR this season, joining Tank Bigsby and Will Shipley. Next, the Eagles released running back Ian Wheeler and waived Jaydon Blue. They closed it out by bringing back Elijah Mitchell.
These moves are fascinating given their timing. Moving on from two running backs with so little depth means only one thing: Barkley might be coming back for Week 7 against the Dallas Cowboys, and that would be great if it is true.
Eagles might be getting Saquon Barkley at the right time
Barkley has missed the last two games with a hamstring injury he suffered on the second drive of the Week 4 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Since his absence, the Eagles have rushed for 57 yards in the last two games.
In four games this season, Barkley has rushed for 182 yards and is averaging 5.1 yards per carry. In two of those games, Barkley was knocked out within the first two drives. He left the Week 2 game against the Tennessee Titans on the first drive with a stinger.
While the Eagles' offensive line has struggled in run blocking, the absence of Barkley has been one of the biggest contributors to the team's struggles over the last two weeks. Dameon Pierce has done the best he can in the backfield, but he doesn't have Barkley's skill set.
The Eagles' moves do seem to signal that Philly will have their star running back return in Week 7. This would work out perfectly for the Eagles since the Cowboys are the worst-ranked run defense in the NFL, allowing 149.8 yards per game.
This is the perfect game for Barkley to return for the Eagles. It's a statistically horrible run defense; they get an extra day of rest because it is a Monday Night Football showdown, and with three running backs on IR, he can step in and take all the carries.
The hope is that the Eagles' young offensive line is starting to feel more comfortable in their roles, and they can help get the running game to be better. Week 6 against the Panthers saw improvement with the running game, even if it was not noticable due to the Eagles sticking with the passing game.
With Tanner McKee filling in for Jalen Hurts while the Eagles' star quarterback is out of the season with the blood clots he's dealing with, Barkley can help the team's new young signal caller. Barkley can make a difference in the passing game with more production on the running back swing routes. Defenses will be loading the box up with more defenders to stop Barkley, which should open up the passing game for McKee.
Read more: Eagles free agent check-in: Tanner McKee building his value, Arnold Ebiketie steps up
Barkley returning could be the thing that turns the season around for the Eagles. It may not be right away, but it could make Philly competitive in 2026.
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