Saquon Barkley isn’t the top-ranked running back in the NFL anymore. But a lot of people around the league think that has more to do with what happened around him than what he did himself.
ESPN dropped its annual top 10 running back rankings on Monday, based on polling from more than 70 NFL scouts, coaches and front office types. Barkley, who sat at No. 1 last offseason, slipped to No. 3 this time around. The difference? The Eagles offense cratered in 2025.
One high-ranking personnel official didn’t mince words about it.
“I’m not going to penalize him for a terrible all-around offense last year,” the exec told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. “He’s still a three-down weapon and if I needed a running back for one season I’m still taking him 1.”
The 2025 Eagles offense was a mess
Philadelphia’s offensive regression was one of the bigger storylines last season. The unit that looked unstoppable during Barkley’s 2,000-yard 2024 campaign turned disjointed and, at times, ugly. Multiple players griped about the scheme and play-calling. A.J. Brown was the most vocal, and the whole thing bled into nearly every aspect of the offense.
Barkley’s numbers reflect that. He finished the 2025 regular season with 280 carries for 1,140 yards and seven touchdowns. Those are solid numbers for most backs. For a guy who just ran for 2,005 yards the year before? That’s a steep drop.
But context matters. The offensive line wasn’t as dominant. The passing game never found a rhythm. And defensive coordinators stacked boxes like it was 2018 again, daring the Eagles to beat them through the air. Philly couldn’t do it consistently.
Why 2026 could look different
There’s reason to think Barkley bounces back. The Eagles fired offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo and brought in Sean Mannion, a coach whose background traces back to the McVay system. That could mean more motion, better spacing and a scheme that actually fits the personnel again.
Mannion hasn’t called plays at this level before. But the hope in Philly is that a fresh set of eyes and a different approach can get the offense back to what it was two years ago.
Barkley is still 28. He’s still explosive. And the Eagles still have most of the same offensive line talent that made 2024 possible, even if they need to play better as a unit.
We’ll start getting answers soon. Training camp opens July 28 with rookies and veterans both reporting. From there, it’s a straight shot toward figuring out whether Barkley can climb back to that No. 1 spot or if the 2025 version was more than a one-year blip.
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