The Philadelphia Eagles surprised many when they signed star running back Saquon Barkley in free agency this offseason. Philadelphia general manager Howie Roseman went against his track record and invested significant money in the running back position.
Eagles starting right tackle Lane Johnson is still stunned by the addition of Barkley to Philadelphia’s offense. Although Johnson has seen it all with the Eagles, he appears to be particularly excited about Barkley’s arrival.
Lane Johnson Excited About Offense’s Potential With Saquon Barkley
On Tuesday, Johnson joined the “Rich Eisen Show” to discuss Philadelphia’s offseason and expectations for the upcoming season. Eisen asked Johnson about his first impression of Barkley and what the signing could potentially mean in 2024 and beyond.
“It felt like I was in an alternate reality,” Johnson said. “I made this statement before. I never thought he would be on our team, and I’m surprised that he is.”
Has it really hit the #FlyEaglesFly All-Pro tackle that he's teammates with @saquon? And is there really pressure on @JalenHurts this season?#NFL pic.twitter.com/xwvMqC54LA
— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) June 25, 2024
While Johnson is certainly excited about the addition, he understands all too well that the Eagles need to prove how good they are on the field.
“I mean on paper, you look at the talent, you look at the abilities, the track record, I think we have the potential for a big year,” Johnson said when asked about the offense’s potential. “But as you know, as games go on, we have to prove that.”
MORE: 5 Breakout Candidates on the 2024 Philadelphia Eagles
After a disappointing end to last season, Johnson is eager to prove that the offense is still among the best in the NFL, especially following the signing of Barkley and several other pieces to Philadelphia’s roster this offseason.
Can Barkley Improve Eagles’ Offense After Disappointing 2023 Season?
Throughout Nick Sirianni’s tenure as head coach of the Eagles, the team has largely decided to use a running-back-by-committee strategy in the backfield. That likely won’t be the case in 2024.
While D’Andre Swift enjoyed a career year for the Eagles in 2023, Philadelphia didn’t trust him to be a workhorse running back. Swift handled 20 or more carries in just two games for the Eagles last season.
In two seasons as Philadelphia’s starting running back under Sirianni, Miles Sanders handled 20+ carries in just four games. Although both Sanders and Swift were technically Philadelphia’s starting running backs, they didn’t ever truly handle the full workload that we see some of the top players at the position shoulder each week.
Barkley will bring that ability to Philadelphia, as he was the definition of a workhorse running back for the New York Giants. Although his workload certainly impacted his injury history, he still had five games with 20 or more carries for the Giants in 2023.
Beyond his ability as a rusher, Barkley’s receiving ability is what will truly open up Philadelphia’s offense. After the arrival of offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, the Eagles’ offense should look drastically different than last season’s predictable unit.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported on Sunday’s episode of “SportsCenter” that people around the league believe Barkley could have a Christian McCaffrey-esque impact in Philadelphia.
FREE: Subscribe To PFN’s NFL Newsletter
“The feeling around the league talking to several teams is that Saquon Barkley will make a major impact, maybe even like a Christian McCaffrey-to-49ers type impact,” Fowler said.
“He’s never had this sort of supporting cast, this kind of offensive line,” Fowler said. “He’s going to make (Jalen) Hurts’ job a lot easier.”
