Saquon Barkley is making it clear he’s not satisfied with where things stood last season, and he’s already putting the league on notice as the Eagles gear up for 2026.
After a massive 2024 run that helped Philadelphia capture Super Bowl 59 over the Kansas City Chiefs, Barkley’s production dipped in 2025 as the Eagles fell short of defending their title. Now entering his third season with the team, he says the focus is on tightening the little things - especially as a receiver out of the backfield.
“It’s on me to go out there and continue to catch the ball at a high level. I had a couple drops last year that I wasn’t having myself.
I had a couple moments where I felt like I was lazy and I wasn’t disciplined with my eyes and my hands, so I’m really focused on that this offseason. And I got to continue if I want to be able to catch the ball a lot this year.
I got to show it to Sean and show it to Jalen that they can trust me when the ball’s in the air. But he does a really good job of not only for me but for everybody,” Barkley said during his interview with Kay Adams.
Barkley also made sure not to give away too much about the offense, while still sounding energized about what’s ahead under offensive coordinator Sean Mannion.
“I’m really excited for this offense. I’m not gonna get too much to the X’s and O’s because I know we got preseason, but I know NFL teams watch these interviews and try to pick up any little thing that they can.
But I’m really excited for this offense and Sean and everybody, all of our you know coaching staff are doing a great job. And right now, we’re just competing at a high level with the defense and trying to get better.”
Can Eagles RB Saquon Barkley break Christian McCaffrey’s RB catch record in Sean Mannion’s new offense? 🤔@Eagles | @saquon | @heykayadams pic.twitter.com/5s2N9npzko
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) August 6, 2026
The numbers tell the story of just how high Barkley’s bar has been. In 2024, he piled up 2,283 scrimmage yards and 15 touchdowns. In 2025, that dropped to 1,413 yards and nine touchdowns.
Philadelphia will need him back near that top gear if it wants to push back toward the Super Bowl and build on its 11-6 finish from 2025. The Eagles are also trying to reach the playoffs for the sixth straight season, and they’ll be doing it without wide receiver A.J. Brown for the first time since 2021 after his trade to the New England Patriots.
The new season begins at home for Philadelphia against the Washington Commanders. That game is set for Sept. 13 at 4:25 p.m. ET.
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