Philadelphia Eagles Running Back Saquon Barkley Making New York Giants Pay

Saquon Barkley has given the Philadelphia Eagles much-needed juice out of the backfield in 2024, re-emerging as the superstar running back many NFL fans knew he was capable of being. But even most experts didn’t predict his impact on the Eagles’ offense to be this dramatic.

Barkley had 26 carries for 146 yards and two touchdowns Thursday night against the Washington Commanders, moving the Eagles to 8-2 and in firm control of the NFC East. He also caught two passes for 52 yards, displaying once again his ability to break a long play out of something elementary. Barkley has rushed for 1,137 yards so far this season to go along with eight touchdowns on the ground and two through the air. This, of course, comes months after leaving Philly’s rivals in the Meadowlands.

The New York Giants drafted Barkley second overall in 2018 and opted not to sign him to a long-term extension on multiple occasions. Barkley himself has said the team made no offer to him as a free agent this past offseason, as he was able to sign with the Eagles on a three-year, $37.75 million deal. Now, he’s joining an impressive list of NFL talent who made their previous teams pay for moving on almost immediately.

Tom Brady

The New England Patriots and Tom Brady were a match made in heaven for two decades. Brady won six Super Bowl titles with the franchise, taking the Pats to eight overall. But a youth movement was on the horizon in 2020 for the team, and Brady believed he had more in the tank at 43. Thus, he left New England as a free agent and headed south to Tampa.

Brady’s time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers cemented his legacy as the greatest to ever play quarterback. His 2020 season was electric, tossing 40 touchdowns in comparison to 12 interceptions, and throwing for 4,633 yards. Brady led the Bucs to their second Super Bowl Championship, the seventh and final of his career. The Pats would finish 7-9, missing the playoffs.

Drew Brees

The San Diego Chargers had a hard time figuring out whether Drew Brees was their long-term quarterback. They opted to set up their immediate future, drafting Eli Manning first overall in 2004 and then trading him for Philip Rivers. While Rivers gave them a Hall of Fame-caliber career, he never delivered a title.

Brees, on the other hand, battled back from shoulder surgery and immediately made an impact with the New Orleans Saints. He threw for more than 4,400 yards and took New Orleans to the NFC Championship Game in 2006. Brees tossed 26 touchdowns and began developing a reputation as a big-arm quarterback, eventually delivering the team a championship in the 2009 season.

Peyton Manning

Peyton Manning is the greatest quarterback in Indianapolis Colts history and one of the most heralded minds to ever play the game. But even after a Super Bowl win and multiple title game appearances, even his tenure would have an expiration date.

Manning’s history of neck injuries was concerning enough for the Colts to move on from him and draft Andrew Luck in 2012, as Manning then signed with the Denver Broncos. He almost immediately returned to the play of his younger self, throwing 37 touchdowns in his first season in Denver. The Broncos went 13-3 that season, and it quickly became apparent Manning still very much was in his prime, and he’d follow it up with two more Super Bowl appearances with the franchise, winning the second in his final career game.

Marshall Faulk

The Colts were also ready to move on from running back Marshall Faulk ahead of the 1999 season, and he made the rest of the league pay for it. He was traded to the St. Louis Rams after a contract dispute in Indy, and his presence proved to be the missing link to a championship.

Faulk was electric in his first season in St. Louis, amassing 2,429 yards from scrimmage and scoring 12 touchdowns. He was the perfect hybrid option for quarterback Kurt Warner, helping form an offense that would be nicknamed “The Greatest Show on Turf.” The Rams would go on to defeat the Tennessee Titans in the Super Bowl that season, giving Faulk his first ring.

Deion Sanders

Deion Sanders terrorized quarterbacks in the beginning of his career with the Atlanta Falcons, developing a reputation as the most feared defensive back in all of the NFL. But the Falcons accomplished little winning during his time in Atlanta, and he was ready to play for a contender.

Sanders left for the San Francisco 49ers in 1994, and success immediately followed. He had six interceptions and three defensive touchdowns in his first season with the Niners, earning Defensive Player of the Year honors. Not only that, but San Francisco would blow out the Chargers in the Super Bowl, giving Sanders his first of two championships.

Barkley is yet to win a title, but it’s very possible his move down I-95 could get him on the doorstep of one.