Working Smarter

PHILADELPHIA — On the heels of a historic season that resulted in a heavy workload, managing touches and maximizing rest will be paramount in preserving Eagles running back Saquon Barkley.

Barkley, who last season eclipsed career highs in carries (345) and rushing yards (2,005), served as the engine fueling a prolific Eagles’ offense that literally hit the ground running coming out of the early bye week. To further illustrate the 28-year-old’s dominant 2024 campaign, Barkley became just the ninth player in NFL history to eclipse the 2,000-yard rushing barrier. He averaged a whopping 125.3 rushing yards per game during the regular season.

History would indicate that volume of that magnitude is hardly sustainable for both Barkley and the Eagles’ offense, but managing usage and reps is an individualized case-by-case basis, according to Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni.

“We always think about every one of our players individually, the reps that they’re getting, what’s good for them, how their body’s feeling,” Sirianni said this week. “I’ve said this before, that takes everybody, right?

“That takes myself, the players talking to me, the players talking to the strength staff and the trainers where we are. So yeah, everybody had individualized plans like they always do. I mean, and we kind of monitored everybody as we went. We got a lot of good work in, Saquon got a lot of good work in and yeah, I’m pleased with how the off-season program has went.”

That the offense last season transformed into a ground heavy force of nature was out of necessity, due to the turbulent and jarring nature of the passing game. The offense lacked rhythm and cohesiveness out of the gate under new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. Instead, the Eagles pivoted, leaning on the league’s best offensive line and its big-ticket free agent running back to shift from neutral. It was a move that unlocked the unit’s full potential, as the Eagles ripped off 10 consecutive wins following the uneven, 33-16 loss in Tampa Bay.

Seemingly complicating matters is that Barkley is the ultimate competitor, challenging and pushing himself to his limits during the offseason. Each season, however, is its own unique entity. The career season has armed Barkley with a new perspective.

Gone are the days of monitoring fellow players at his position around the NFL. As a younger player, Barkley used to fixate on his counterparts — whether it was Derrick Henry running hills or Christian McCaffrey posting a workout — and feel compelled to follow suit with a workout of his own. This time, though, every trusted resource advised Barkley to scale it back and prioritize rest and recovery.

With regards to how he’s gone about striking that balance between work and recovery, Barkley shared his willingness to seek and consider words of wisdom offered from mentors and coaches. He also learned to listen to his body.

“My research was the coaches in here,” Barkley said. “Nick [Sirianni], Jemal [Singleton] … I have a lot of great running backs I’m able to reach out to. I have a lot of mentors and trainers that I trust. And kind of listen to your body. Going out there and not going too fast right away, letting your body heal. But the beauty of it is — I don’t know how many touches I had, or how many yards — but it doesn’t feel like it. I feel really good. I feel like I’m entering my prime. So, just gotta continue to have the mindset of listening to everyone, buying into what they want me to do. And whatever I do, just try to do it to the best of my ability.”

Multiple players expressed the need for the offense to evolve under new offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo. While the Eagles boasted the league’s most effective rushing attack in 2024, one could surmise that for the offense to evolve, it’s the aerial attack that must continue to grow and develop to reach new heights. A reconfigured passing attack laced with some new wrinkles not only opens things up and forces defenses to play the Eagles differently, it would also alleviate some of the excessive wear-and-tear on Barkley.

In the three spring practices open to the media, Barkley has looked sharp, showcasing his hallmark burst and fluidity in his opportunities. But Barkley isn’t drastically altering his approach, instead making calculated decisions and listening to his body while ensuring he remains primed and ready to withstand the rigors of another NFL season in which he’s to be prominently featured.

“You just gotta be smarter, right? You have your moments where you go in there and you grind and you push it. A lot of people probably saw the squat video that the Eagles put out, but you have those days. And the majority of those days is just mobility, conditioning, doing all the things to get your body in shape to perform at a high level. It was a lot of workload, but my body feels great, so that’s the most important thing. And the way Nick and everyone here has handled it has been really helpful for me.”

– Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com