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This offseason, the Philadelphia Eagles let backup running back Kenneth Gainwell sign elsewhere after replacing him with A.J. Dillon. A move that might pay off in 2025.
Eagles fans already know how good running back Saquon Barkley is after breaking an NFL record of 2,504 rushing yards in the regular season and playoffs combined. He also added Offensive Player of the Year and Pro Bowl to his resume. It's a record season that will stand the test of time, but the organization needs a reliable backup.
Dillon suffered a neck injury that cost him the entire 2024 season with the Green Bay Packers. He comes into the season needing to battle with Will Shipley for the backup job.
With many believing Dillon will win the job, the pairing of him and Barkley could ultimately prove to be something special. A nightmare of sorts for defenses.
Where does the Barkley-Dillon duo rank against the rest of the NFL?
Bleacher Report writer Moe Moton ranked the 10 best running back duos in the NFL. Barkley and Dillon cracked the top five as they landed at four, with the two complementing each other well.
"Saquon Barkley won the rushing title and nearly broke Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record (2,105) last season.
Despite Barkley's heavy workload on the ground, he still caught 33 passes for 278 yards and two touchdowns, and 12 of his receptions moved the chains for first downs.
This offseason, the Philadelphia Eagles signed a proven complementary running back in A.J. Dillon. His 6'0", 247-pound frame allows him to move human piles in short-yardage situations or mow over defenders after the catch.
As primarily a backup running back with the Green Bay Packers between 2020 and 2023, Dillon made plays in the short passing game, hauling in 86 passes for 763 yards and two touchdowns. Though he sat out the 2024 campaign with a neck injury, his skill set should allow him to get the nod over Will Shipley for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart.
Assuming Dillon is back to 100 percent, he will be one of the league's most productive No. 2 running backs. His pass-catching ability will allow him to see the field on third downs."
Barkley's play is already well-known, but for Eagles fans unfamiliar with Dillon's game, he presents a challenge to bring down. The downhill back had success from 2021 through 2023, with three consecutive seasons with at least 600 yards, and scored 14 touchdowns in that span. The Packers selected him in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, as he rushed for 242 yards and two touchdowns for Green Bay.
Dillon fits perfectly as a short-yardage running back who can get the tough two to three yards. All indications at OTAs were that Barkley, Shipley, and he would be heavily involved in the passing game, so it could be another tool in the toolbox that Dillon can use.
The combined efforts of Barkley and Dillon will be fun to watch, as the hope is that Dillon returns to 2023 form, so Barkley doesn't have to run the ball as much. While the Eagles want Barkley to touch the ball 25-30 times a game, they do need to protect him from taking too many hits and getting hurt.
Philadelphia's backfield is loaded with Barkley, Dillon, and Shipley, which will make the 2025 season fun. When those guys are on the field, good things will happen.,
More must-reads:
- Cowboys make questionable move amid Micah Parsons stalemate
- Bears GM speaks out after superstar goes down with injury
- The 'Single-season sack leaders by NFL team' quiz
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Cowboys make questionable move amid Micah Parsons stalemate
The Dallas Cowboys extended one of their stars Sunday, just not the one fans wanted them to pay. At Cowboys training camp Saturday, Dallas fans serenaded owner Jerry Jones with "Pay Micah [Parsons]" chants. The EDGE, of course, is set to play on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract this season. Jones must not have been listening. He gave tight end Jake Ferguson a new contract instead. Dallas and the 26-year-old pass-catcher agreed to a four-year, $52M contract extension, via NFL Media's Ian Rapoport. This move seems head-scratching. Parsons has won the 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year and earned two first-team All-Pro nods since the Cowboys took him with pick No. 12 in the 2021 NFL Draft. The 26-year-old EDGE also finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Ferguson, meanwhile, is solid but not elite. In three seasons with the Cowboys, the 2022 fourth-round pick has made one Pro Bowl and has never finished with more than 761 receiving yards in a season. An extension for Parsons will devour future cap space. The Cowboys may be worried about that after giving quarterback Dak Prescott (four years, $240M) and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (four years, $136M) long-term deals in 2024. Pittsburgh Steelers EDGE T.J. Watt signed a lucrative three-year, $123M extension on July 17, making him the league's highest-paid non-QB. Parsons could command a similar contract. If cap space is Dallas' primary concern, however, why would it extend Ferguson? He's now set to be the NFL's seventh-highest-paid TE. The Cowboys waited to extend Lamb and Prescott just before the start of the 2024 season. They may be doing the same with Parsons. The star defender has said, "Ownership is always gonna make [contract negotiations] drag out." Regardless, the Cowboys should've paid Parsons before Ferguson. That's a much bigger priority for the team.
Royals acquire outfield help in perplexing trade with Diamondbacks
The Kansas City Royals were hoping to bolster their outfield ahead of the July 31 trade deadline. They were able to do just that in a trade on Saturday. Steve Gilbert from MLB.com reported that the Royals have acquired outfielder Randal Grichuk from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Mark Feinsand from MLB.com reported that relief pitcher Andrew Hoffman will head to Arizona in exchange for Grichuk. The Royals desperately needed help in their outfield. Royals outfielders had been the worst in the majors, posting an atrocious .219/.273/.328 batting line with just 19 home runs entering Saturday's action. Although Grichuk is in the midst of a disappointing season himself, he is an immediate upgrade over whatever the Royals have sent into the outfield. Grichuk had posted a .243/.280/.462 batting line in 186 plate appearances entering Saturday, hitting seven homers and 15 doubles. In exchange, the Diamondbacks receive Hoffman, who FanGraphs ranked as the Royals' 22nd-best prospect entering the season. His upper-90s fastball and new kick change are both considered plus offerings, although his ability to command his arsenal is questionable at best. Hoffman's potential and flaws were evident this season. He made his major league debut for the Royals, allowing six runs, two earned, on seven hits and four walks over 4.2 innings, striking out five. However, Hoffman had dominated at Triple-A, posting a 3.60 ERA and a 1.125 WHiP over his 40 innings, striking out 55 batters with just 10 walks. He is another intriguing addition for a Diamondbacks team that has prioritized pitching in their two trades thus far. The same upside does not exist for the Royals. Kansas City had the same record as the Diamondbacks entering the second game of their doubleheader against the Guardians. Grichuk signed a one-year contract with $5 million guaranteed for 2025. There is a mutual option worth $5 million, with a $3 million buyout, for 2026. Theoretically, Grichuk could be part of the Royals' plans next season. However, mutual options are rarely picked up. As the Royals are currently under .500 and need to pass four teams in the standings to seize the final wild-card spot, adding a rental option does not make sense. It is possible that both sides can work out an arrangement for 2026, but unless that happens, the Royals' latest move is questionable at best.
Cardinals suffer injury blow as key CB tears ACL
Arizona Cardinals cornerback Starling Thomas V, entering his third NFL season, suffered a massive setback Friday when he suffered a torn ACL during practice, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. The injury is expected to sideline him for the entire 2025 NFL season. According to multiple reports and confirmed by Schefter, the corner was carted off the field after initial tests on the field before he was taken to the locker room for further testing. Despite being undrafted in 2023, Thomas established himself quickly on the Cardinals defense. In his first two seasons, he started in 22 games and posted 85 tackles, 11 pass breakups and one forced fumble. In 2024, he started 15 games, allowing only 30 total receptions, with six pass deflections and 47 total tackles. On Pro Football Focus, Thomas earned an overall grade of 60.9 in 2024, which ranks him 116th among 222 other qualified corners. He possessed a coverage grade of 60.9 and a run defense grade of 58.0. Now with Thomas expected to be sidelined for the entire 2025 season, the Cardinals' cornerback depth will take a significant hit. The team had some roster flexibility prior to the injury but now faces a thinner group. The unit will now rely heavily on second-round pick Will Johnson, as well as 2024 second-rounder Max Melton. Johnson was selected 47th in the 2025 NFL Draft, which was a surprising drop given his dominant 2023 season. The drop was primarily due to injury concerns that held him out of most of 2024 and limited him in draft workouts. There was concern over his long-term health, as well as if his athleticism would remain intact. So far this training camp, Johnson has reportedly been running with the first team and has shown flashes of solid play. Melton was drafted 43rd in the 2024 NFL Draft. He showed several flashes throughout his rookie season, especially towards the tail end of the year. He totaled 565 snaps, with a PFF coverage grade of 56.1. With the injury to Thomas, Melton will likely move into a full time starting role, which he states he feels confident in. "Year 1 was everything I wanted to be," Melton said during an appearance on "Arizona Sports’ Wolf Luke." "It was a learning process and by the end of the year, I felt like I was full-fledged and that’s exactly how I feel like going into Year 2. I feel like it’s time to take off this year and that’s exactly what we’re going to do." For Thomas, the injury is a tough blow, but the expectation is that it will only be a short setback. With his talent and work ethic, there should be a ton of optimism that he can return stronger. The Cardinals will be counting on him to make a full recovery and reclaim his role within the team's secondary.
Warriors still positioning themselves for Giannis Antetokounmpo blockbuster
Things have largely gone cold on the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade front, but that does not mean teams are not thinking of the possibility of that changing. Tim Kawakami of the San Francisco Standard noted that the Warriors are being cautious in negotiations with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, as he could be possible trade bait if Antetokounmpo is traded by the Milwaukee Bucks. The Warriors are adamant about not giving away Kuminga for less than his full trade value, which is why his situation remains unresolved with August looming. Kuminga and the Warriors have yet to agree on a contract, and it remains unclear when the situation will be resolved. He has a $7.9 million qualifying offer on the table, and signing it would allow him to approve any trade he is involved in. If he signs a multiyear extension, he would not be eligible to be traded until January, which could complicate things if Antetokounmpo decides late in the offseason that he wants a move. Presumably, Kuminga would be a key part of any trade the Warriors make involving Antetokounmpo. However, with no market materializing, there seems to be a growing chance he could remain with the team next season. The former No. 7 overall pick averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 0.8 steals per game last season. He appeared in 47 games, making 10 starts and averaging 24.3 minutes per game. However, he has been unable to consistently lock down a major spot in coach Steve Kerr’s rotation, which reportedly led to some tension between the two last season. Antetokounmpo, meanwhile, still seems unlikely to be traded, but teams are still going to prepare for the possibility.
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