Saquon Barkley Contract: Salary, Cap Hit, Bonuses for Philadelphia Eagles' Star Running Back

Saquon Barkley is one of pro football's most exciting players.

Whether he's breaking off a long run into the open field or performing a backward leap over a defender, his elite skills separate him from the pack on the gridiron.

Barkley grew up in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, and starred at Whitehall High School and Penn State University. He earned All-America honors as a junior, placing fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting in 2017.

Barkley was selected No. 2 overall in the 2018 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. He racked up 7,311 yards from scrimmage in six seasons with the Giants before signing a hefty free-agent contract with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024.

Saquon Barkley's Fury in the Record Books

Barkley did more than just make plays only seen on Playstation or Xbox. His first year as a member of the Eagles was a memorable one as he helped Philadelphia win its second Super Bowl championship. During the regular season, Barkley amazed fantasy football players with the ninth 2,000-yard rushing season in NFL history and the eighth-highest rushing total ever at 2,005 yards. Including the postseason, Barkley amassed an NFL-record 2,504 rushing yards.

Saquon Barkley's Contract

After winning Super Bowl LIX, the 2024 Offensive Player of the Year signed a two-year, $41 million extension with the Super Bowl-champion Eagles. The $20.6-million annual salary made him the highest-paid running back in NFL history. The deal includes $36 million guaranteed.

In 2025, he pockets $16.5 million. This includes:

• $1.170 million base salary
• $15.080 million signing bonus
• $250,000 workout bonus
• $6.661 million salary cap hit
• $45.980 million dead cap hit

In 2026, he'll have a $1.3 million base salary with:

• $2.475 million prorated signing bonus
• $6.106 million prorated option bonus
• $9.881 million salary cap hit
• $38.789 million dead cap hit

The Fine Print in 2027-28

NFL contracts are some of the more confusing documents in sports. Teams like to add on more years to reduce the impact on the salary cap on a yearly basis and put in extra years and verbiage that neither side intends to take effect. The key factors are what happens in the first two years of the deal.

The earliest the Eagles could reasonably escape contractual obligations with Barkley is 2027, when he's on the books for a $1.345 million base salary with:

• $2.475 signing bonus
• $8.987 million option bonus
• $12.807 million salary cap hit
• $28.908 million dead cap hit

In '28, he has:

• $1.390 million base salary
• $2.475 million signing bonus
• $1 million roster bonus
• $12.299 million option
• $17.827 million dead cap hit

These two years' figures are unlikely to matter as he'd either negotiate another deal or move on at age 30 in 2027.

Saquon Barkley's Career Earnings

Barkley earned $63,692,750 in his first seven NFL seasons, per Over the Cap. That figure includes the following cash payouts by season:

• 2018: $21,247,092
• 2019: $1,897,943
• 2020: $3,405,886
• 2021: $4,833,829
• 2022: $7,217,000
• 2023: $10,091,000
• 2024: $15,000,000

Setting the Market

Barkley's latest deal was important within the sport because running backs have long been underpaid. Teams often run tailbacks into the ground for a few years and then mix and match cheaper options.

Barkley's deal created a trickle-down effect within the sport. After Barkley signed his deal, the Baltimore Ravens followed suit by signing Derrick Henry to a two-year, $30 million deal with $25 million guaranteed. This slotted in under him, and the running back market has been revitalized because of Barkley's game-changing football skills.

With another batch of star running backs slated to hit NFL free agency in the coming years, Barkley's deal has raised the bar for the next class of halfbacks to capitalize on. Not bad for a guy whom the Giants let walk into free agency before the '24 season. Barkley initially signed a three-year, $37.75 million deal with the Eagles. He ended the year by winning the Super Bowl on his birthday and changing the running back market for the entire league.