The Eagles are walking into training camp with a fresh offensive setup, and Saquon Barkley is already making it clear he likes what he sees.
Philadelphia has handed the offense to new coordinator Sean Mannion, and Barkley has been one of the loudest voices pumping up the changes. In an interview with Kay Adams on “Up and Adams,” the star running back praised general manager Howie Roseman for what he called a “steal” of a trade, pointing to the addition of wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks as a major boost. Barkley said he admires Wicks’ aggressive style and described him as more than just another target on the outside - a receiver who can run routes, make catches and block with the kind of physical edge that sets a tone.
Wicks is part of the wider offensive refresh, but the bigger shift is happening in how the Eagles want to run the ball. ESPN reported there were whispers last season that Barkley wanted more handoffs from under center, a setup that would let him read linebackers and safety movement more clearly before hitting the hole.
That wasn’t how Philadelphia operated for much of 2025, when the offense lived mostly in the shotgun. The result was a sharp drop in Barkley’s explosive production: after piling up 17 carries of 20-plus yards during the Eagles’ 2024 Super Bowl-winning run, he had just four in 2025.
Mannion’s arrival changes that picture. The Eagles are expected to lean more heavily on under-center looks and outside zone concepts, and Barkley has already been preparing for it. He’s been studying Todd Gurley on film and has even spoken with Gurley as he works to sharpen the vision needed for Mannion’s scheme.
Barkley is also focused on the finer points of his game after taking ownership of some of the small mistakes from last season, including drops and lapses in hand-eye coordination. On “Up and Adams,” he said he wants to prove to Mannion and quarterback Jalen Hurts that he can still be trusted in the passing game, while also pushing to outpace other top backs like Christian McCaffrey in 2026.
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Former Eagles RB Faces Heartbreaking Race Against Time With Daughter
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The former Eagles back had been serving an 18-month federal sentence tied to COVID-related fraud, along with a concurrent state sentence for gun possession, when his case took a deeply personal turn. His 8-year-old daughter Mila is now in palliative care with an aggressive kidney cancer diagnosis, a situation that has shifted the focus far from the legal case and onto a family racing against time. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Suddenly Have A Receiver Decision They Cant Ignore
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Former Eagles Running Back Granted Release Amid Heartbreaking Family Crisis
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He had been serving an 18-month federal sentence tied to COVID-related fraud, along with a concurrent state sentence for gun possession, before the court allowed him to leave. The case also took a procedural turn after a motion to withdraw his guilty plea followed a recent appeals court ruling involving New Jerseys assault weapons ban, adding another layer to an already difficult situation that now centers on his daughters condition. [Read more 🡒]