Eagles' Saquon Barkley Resets the Running Back Blueprint
Eagles' Saquon Barkley Resets the Running Back Blueprint originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
After the confetti settled from Super Bowl LIX, Saquon Barkley faced a crossroads that has claimed countless running backs throughout NFL history. The numbers were staggering: 345 regular-season carries, 91 more in the playoffs, and 482 total touches — a workload that put him squarely in the danger zone where elite backs traditionally begin their decline.
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But Barkley isn't approaching 2025 like a traditional running back. And that might be exactly what separates him from the cautionary tales of the past.
The data surrounding high-workload running backs is sobering. Research shows that players with 370 to 389 carries averaged a 27 percent drop in total yards and a 10 percent drop in yards per carry the following season. Even more alarming, all players with 390 or more carries averaged a 33 percent drop in total yards and an 11 percent drop in yards per carry. For context, Barkley's 436 total carries, including playoffs, place him well above these danger thresholds.
Recent examples are everywhere. Todd Gurley's effectiveness plummeted from 5.8 to 4.2 yards per touch after his 348 total touches in 2018. Christian McCaffrey's 403 touches in 2019 preceded two injury-riddled seasons. Even LaDainian Tomlinson saw his dominance fade at age 27, going from 'maybe the best ever' to merely solid in just two seasons after his historic workload.
But Barkley isn't following the traditional playbook. Where past running backs might have tried to muscle through with intense offseason regimens, Barkley assembled a brain trust that included head coach Nick Sirianni, running backs coach Jemal Singleton, and Hall of Famers Marshall Faulk and Edgerrin James. Their message was unanimous and blunt.
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'It wasn't hard because everyone I trust told me basically to sit my ass down for a little bit,' Barkley said. 'You've just got to be smarter, right? You have your moments where you go in there and you grind, you push it, but 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.'
This represents a fundamental shift from Barkley's typical competitive nature. He never took it easy during the 2024 season, earning NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors and helping carry the Eagles to a Super Bowl title. But his approach to the offseason has been different.
This isn't just about rest—it's about strategic recovery. The focus on mobility and conditioning over pure strength training represents cutting-edge thinking in sports science. Rather than trying to add more muscle or power, Barkley is prioritizing the systems that will help him maintain his explosiveness and avoid the breakdown that typically follows high-carry seasons.
Remarkably, last season's massive workload didn't diminish Barkley's efficiency. He set a career-best 5.8 yards per carry and a career-high 52.5 percent rushing success rate. This efficiency, combined with smart recovery, could be the key to bucking historical trends.
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Several factors suggest Barkley might successfully defy the high-carry curse. At 28, he says he feels like he's 'entering my prime' as he heads into his eighth NFL season. That would run counter to what we've seen from other backs over the years, but Barkley is coming off an uncommon season. Despite unprecedented mileage in 2024, he says his body feels great with no lasting effects.
Unlike backs who faced high-carry seasons behind struggling offenses, Barkley benefits from the Eagles' elite infrastructure. His rushing average jumped from 3.9 yards per carry in his final Giants season to 5.8 with Philadelphia, proving he's harder to tackle with an elite offensive line and dangerous passing game. Perhaps most importantly, Barkley isn't approaching 2025 with desperation.
'The beauty of it is you have an opportunity to do it again,' he explained. 'That's what the mindset kind of shifts to is learn from it, and even though you had a great year, there are so many plays and so many things I can continue to improve on.' What separates Barkley is his long-term vision.
'The thing that drives me is the same thing that has been driving me since I was a little kid,' he said. 'I want to be the best running back to ever play, or at least one of the best running backs to ever play.'
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Rather than trying to replicate 2024's historic numbers, Barkley is focused on sustainable excellence.
'I didn't go into last year with the mindset of rushing for 2,000 yards,' he said. 'I just try to focus on the little things first, and everything else will take care of itself.'
The Eagles organization fully supports Barkley's modified approach, with individualized training regimens for each player. All signs point toward another high-volume campaign in 2025, but the challenge will be balancing preservation with maintaining offensive efficiency.
History suggests running backs who carry the ball 345-plus times face inevitable decline. But Barkley isn't just any running back. His revolutionary training approach, combined with superior organizational support and a championship-caliber system, positions him to potentially rewrite the narrative about running back longevity.
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'It was a lot of workload [last year], but my body feels great, so that's the most important thing,' Barkley said.
The statistical curse of high carries is real, but Barkley's mindset and methodology suggest he's planning to shatter it entirely.
Related: Eagles Defense Called 'Miles Ahead' of Last Year's Top Unit
Related: Why Kevin Patullo Isn't Doomed to Repeat Eagles' 2023 Offensive Collapse
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
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