Eagles welcome RB Saquon Barkley with $37.75M deal

The Philadelphia Eagles welcomed running back Saquon Barkley back to the Keystone State on Wednesday.

Barkley starred at Penn State before playing the last six seasons with the NFC East rival New York Giants.

The 27-year-old free agent agreed to a three-year deal worth a reported $37.75 million. His $12.583 million annual average salary ranks fourth among NFL running backs, per Spotrac.

Barkley rushed for 962 yards and six touchdowns in 14 starts last season, just shy of his fourth 1,000-yard season. In his final appearance for the Giants, he posted 97 yards from scrimmage and two scores in a 27-10 victory over the Eagles in Week 18.

Barkley gained 865 yards (615 rushing, 250 receiving) with seven TDs in nine career games against Philadelphia.

Drafted No. 2 overall in 2018, Barkley won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and made two Pro Bowls with New York. He ranks fourth in franchise history with 5,211 rushing yards in 74 starts.

Barkley replaces D'Andre Swift, who finished fifth in the NFL with a career-high 1,049 rushing yards during his lone season with the Eagles in 2023. Swift, who signed with the Chicago Bears, had replaced Miles Sanders, who ranked fifth in the NFL with a career-best 1,269 rushing yards for Philadelphia in 2022.

Barkley's front-loaded deal reportedly includes $25.5 million guaranteed and a signing bonus of $11.625 million. Only $1.5 million of his $12 million base salary for the 2026 season is guaranteed.

He was an All-American and a two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year at Penn State, where he rushed for 3,843 yards and 43 touchdowns in three seasons (2015-17).

—Field Level Media