As training camp draws closer, every NFL team has questions that must be answered. And for the Philadelphia Eagles, the offensive side of the ball holds the key.
Eva Geitheim of Sports Illustrated reviewed burning questions for each NFL team, with one of Philadelphia's primary areas of uncertainty being the run game: Can the running game get going again?Â
"Another key to the Eagles’ offense will be if the running game can get going again. Saquon Barkley will no longer have the Madden curse weighing him down, but the rushing attack is still looking to rebound after an underwhelming campaign that saw him rush for 1,140 yards and seven touchdowns, down from a 2,000-yard rushing campaign in 2024. An important piece to this will be if the offensive line can stay healthier—and how they’ll do with Chris Kuper taking over for longtime offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland."Â
New Scheme & return to full health up front should silence doubts surrounding the run game
Life without Stoutland around indeed raises myriad questions, as Kuper now takes the reins of an offensive line that has achieved as much success as any current unit in the game. But make no bones about it, health is the most critical component up front.
Stalwarts including Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata return as the bookend tackles, and for Johnson, remaining healthy is the top priority. Cam Jurgens and Landon Dickerson also must stay suited up, as the pair of interior linemen were haunted by injuries last season following a 2024 Super Bowl run that saw them both playing injured in the late stages of their storied run.
The rumors of a possible downswing for Barkley are greatly exaggerated, as the top-end speed and dangerous elusiveness he's always exhibited remain fully intact. As shown last season, on electric carries including the opening touch in Week 8 for a 65-yard touchdown gallop against the Giants, the wheels remain elite. That 21.7 mph top-end speed per NextGen stats was as swift as any of his marks in 2024, and for a player who trains and prepares as meticulously as anyone on the gridiron, the 29-year-old remains lethal when given room to work his magic.
Thus, it boils down not only to the scheme, which the team has overhauled with the hiring of offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, but first and foremost, the clean bill of health for Barkley's teammates in the trenches. Three standout starters out of five up front in Jurgens, Johnson, and Dickerson missed ample time last season, while also having to power their way through nagging injuries, even when healthy.
Barkley struggled to find daylight with heightened frequency, and a vanilla scheme did him no favors, either.
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As long as Mannion and Kuper push the right buttons from a coaching perspective, a healthy group up front should signal a return to dominance for the run game in Philadelphia.
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