Philadelphia Eagles fans watched running back Saquon Barkley struggle last season, making it difficult to see the 2024 Offensive Player of the Year turn into a normal running back.
Barkley still finished with 1,140 yards on the year, but only averaged 4.1 yards per carry. Things needed to change this season for him to get back on track, and they did with a revamped offensive coaching staff and new weapons at wide receiver and tight end. NFL.com's Kevin Patra likes a member of that coaching staff to be the catalyst in helping Barkley be the team's non-QB MVP candidate for 2026: offensive coordinator Sean Mannion.
"Much was made of the Eagles' offensive fall-off last season. One of the lesser-discussed aspects was the explosive plays from Barkley drying up. It’s natural to see some regression following a 2,000-yard campaign, but Barkley lost 1.7 yards per carry from his 5.8 mark in 2024, plummeting to 4.1 in '25. The RB had just four runs of 20-plus yards -- the same number as Jaxson Dart and Marcus Mariota. With the offensive line returning healthier than a year ago, I’m sure we will see a more explosive Barkley. Not a ton is known about new OC Sean Mannion’s plans, but if he takes anything from his former boss in Green Bay, we’d expect Philly to lean on the ground game -- Matt LaFleur's team ran the ball on the fifth-highest percentage of plays last season."
Sean Mannion can help rejuvenate Saquon Barkley in 2026
Mannion brings a different style of offense to Philly that is familiar to fans of Green Bay, the Los Angeles Rams, and the San Francisco 49ers. It's a more open offense that will include more pre-snap motions, passes down the middle of the field, and RPOs.
Barkley will benefit from this because it will force Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts to do things that will make him uncomfortable. Mannion will have Hurts run the ball more, opening up the running game for Barkley so that defenses respect that the Eagles signal-caller could take the ball himself.
This hopefully will also mean that Barkley will get more runs to the outside and really show off that speed. Too many times last season, former Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo would run the ball up the middle on first and second down to bring on a third and long.
During OTAs, there were a lot of reports of running backs being involved in the passing game and Barkley catching passes out of the backfield. Maybe Barkley won't always get the rushing yards, but Mannion will make sure the ball is in his hands somehow.
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The 2026 season is really going to help Barkley find his groove and get back on track to the guy Eagles fans saw two years ago. Mannion understands better than anyone that, to make a good first impression on Philly this season, he needs to get the ball in the hands of his best player.
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