PHILADELPHIA — After six seasons wearing a New York Giants uniform, running back Saquon Barkley took some getting used to wearing the Eagles’ green.
But that weirdness “has definitely faded” in recent months, Barkley said, as he built relationships in the building and began to adjust to his new surroundings.
“It’s like a new beginning. I feel like a rookie again,” Barkley said after the Eagles’ OTA practice on Wednesday. “Meeting everyone here, learning the culture, accepting the culture and feeling at home.”
He’s found several ways to break the ice, from competing with franchise quarterback Jalen Hurts in the weight room to going out to eat with his teammates and playing golf… a lot of golf.
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Barkley explained that his family is still in the process of moving from northern New Jersey and is not yet in the area. That has given him a lot of free time once he finishes his day at the Eagles’ practice facility, and he has spent a good portion of it on the golf courses.
“I’ve been playing golf with a lot of guys, playing golf with offensive linemen,” Barkley said, “but my golf buddies right now I would say are (quarterbacks) Will Grier and Kenny Pickett. Kenny is just learning.” “For Kenny. He broke 100 for the first time and he started like two or three months ago, so it’s a big accomplishment, but those two… we’re kind of golf fanatics right now.”
Barkley, however, has been making his biggest impression at work.
“He’s an unbelievable running back. I’ve watched him over the years. I’m glad he’s on my team,” receiver AJ Brown said. “What I saw (during offseason training), him pushing his teammates in the weight room, that excites me because, honestly… if I can get a guy like that to come to work every day and Work hard, that’s all. That matters.”
Squatting is a talent Barkley and Hurts share: both players can lift more than 600 pounds. Barkley had fun on Kelce’s “New Heights” podcast shortly after signing his three-year, $37.75 million free-agent deal with Philadelphia, saying he can move more weight than Hurts and “it’s not even close.”
While it wasn’t exactly a squat, the Eagles’ social media posted video of Barkley and Hurts doing rep after rep while their teammates watched. It’s one of the ways QB1 and RB1 have sped up the bonding process.
He looks very proud 🤣@JalenHurts | @saquon pic.twitter.com/j1CvdvsXbL
– Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) May 6, 2024
“Even in the short time we’ve had OTAs, you hear about the type of person he is, the type of leader he is in the room, the energy he brings to the room and that’s something I already appreciate: just us competing.” in sprints or competing in squats and things like that where we challenge each other, those are the things that set the thermostat for what the team is supposed to follow,” Hurts said.
There is no denying the level of talent on the offensive side of the ball. Barkley said what stood out to him the most was walking into the huddle for the first time during 7-on-7 drills at OTAs and seeing Brown, wide receiver DeVonta Smith, tight end Dallas Goedert and Hurts surrounding him.
“That’s not a bad group to be in,” he said with a smile, “and that’s not including the offensive linemen.”
The supporting cast wasn’t as strong in New York. Barkley largely served as the focal point of the offense and amassed more than 7,300 total yards and 47 touchdowns in six seasons. He joins a powerful group in Philadelphia looking to get back on track after a late-season collapse in 2023.
“Saquon is, first and foremost, a top-notch running back. We’re very excited about his ability to run the ball,” said new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.
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“We know the things that make him great. It’s his ability to be a great pass protector, to be a receiver out of the backfield. He does a phenomenal job with those things. Obviously, we have to try to use him as much as we can, understanding that “It’s a long season for running backs. We’ve got great guys behind him in (running back) Kenny (Gainwell) and (running back) Will (Shipley) and all the guys out there. “We’re fortunate to have Saquon.”
Barkley said he won’t shy away from taking on a leadership role on the team even though he’s new. As Brown noted, “a guy with that talent, the personality of him… is a guy you want to follow.”
Your level of experience should also contribute to that role. Barkley believes this is the first time in his career where he is the elder statesman in the running back room, making him the old and the new at the same time.
“That’s definitely fun for me. There’s beauty in it, too,” he said. “You see how quickly your time goes by (in the league). And when you’re having fun, time flies.”
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