Eagles Will Monitor Saqoun Barkley's Workload During Practice

The Eagles running back had 26 touches in the season opener, a high number for a player they want to keep healhy and fresh during the course of the NFL's long season.

Sep 6, 2024; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) leaves the field after the 2024 NFL Sao Paolo Game against the Green Bay Packers at Neo Quimica Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Now that the Eagles have hit the gas pedal on Saquon Barkley, it doesn’t sound like they are about to decelerate anytime soon as they prepare this week to host the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night.

Barkley’s workload was heavy in Philly’s 34-29 win over the Green Bay Packers, with 24 carries and two receptions. Offensive coordinator Kellen Moore said in the spring that they wanted to find a way to manage the running back’s reps as the season went on to keep him healthy and somewhat fresh to get him through 17 games and perhaps beyond.

After seeing Barkley’s impact up close, that thought process may be changing.

“You do everything you can do to win each football game, and so once the game is in the flow, you think about how you're going to win that game,” said head coach Nick Sirianni. “And whether that's Saquon getting 20-whatever touches, whether that’s us throwing the ball to A.J. (Brown), DeVonta (Smith), Dallas (Goedert), whatever it may be, you try to manage them more within practice.”

The Eagles return to practice on Wednesday, and that’s where the Eagles may back off the Barkley gas pedal.

“We'll have a plan for that this week in practice where we can take some of the load off him there,” said Sirianni. “Every time you go into the game - every game is so important in the NFL that it's hard to say - and when he's got a hot hand like that, too - to say, ‘Hey, you don't want to keep giving him the ball.’

“You're trying to win every single game that you play. That's our job as coaches to manage that throughout the week during practice.”

The Eagles have a capable backup in Kenny Gainwell, who played jut 15 snaps, making one catch for 10 yards and carrying the ball once for two yards. They also have rookie Will Shipley, who had a good training camp but got just four snaps.

The plan all along was to hit the gas early with Barkley. We’ll see if that changes against the Falcons.

“Games will take care of themselves as they go,” said Sirianni.” There will naturally be a game where we throw it fifty times or Kenneth or Will will have a couple carries,” said Sirianni. “So that will take care of itself throughout the year. As of right now, we handle that through our practice.”

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