Why former NFL executive loved Eagles signing RB Saquon Barkley

Former NFL executive and current ESPN personality Mike Tannenbaum suggested that the Philadelphia Eagles signing former New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley is the best overall free-agency move of the opening week of the new NFL year. 

"Barkley will give (quarterback) Jalen Hurts a much better chance of getting through the season healthy," Tannenbaum explained. "Over the past three seasons, Hurts has run the ball 491 times, which is the most by any quarterback in that span. Those numbers take a toll, and he didn't look the same at the end of last season. With a true elite runner in the backfield, there won't be as much pressure on Hurts to run, which will potentially keep him healthy down the stretch."

Hurts dealt with a "nagging" shoulder issue through February 2023 as he helped guide the Eagles to Super Bowl LVII, where they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs. More recently, he sported a left knee brace during a portion of this past season, and he then suffered a nasty-looking injury to the middle finger of his throwing hand in Week 18. 

It's worth noting that there's no guarantee Barkley will get through a season healthy during his Philadelphia tenure. After all, he has a concerning injury history for a running back who turned 27 years old in February, and he missed three games during the 2023 campaign because of an ankle problem.

Barkley could, however, help Hurts in a different way. While the second pick of the 2018 NFL Draft became a respected and admired captain with the Giants, Hurts' style of leadership was routinely questioned both during and after the 2023 Eagles suffered a collapse that included going from 10-1 to 11-6 before Philadelphia lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the wild-card round of the playoffs. 

As of Tuesday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the Eagles fourth among the betting favorites at +750 odds to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LIX. Philadelphia being a win-now club justifies the organization paying a veteran running back when many teams decline to do so, but the Barkley contract could become somewhat of a burden if he and/or Hurts is sidelined for any chunk of the 2024 season.