Heading into the 2026 season, many around the NFL hoped that the Philadelphia Eagles offense would revert to its 2024 shape, where Saquon Barkley rushed for 2,005 yards and helped bring a second Lombardi Trophy to the city of brotherly love; however, that hasn’t been the case two weeks in.
Barkley’s lack of production has certainly impacted quarterback Jalen Hurts’ and the offense’s ability to succeed, and former players, including Damien Harris, have noticed.
What Has Damien Harris Said About Saquon Barkley’s Recent Play?
Speaking on CBS Sports HQ, the former New England Patriots running back said, “His production has obviously trailed off.”
“You look at his rush attempts per game; it’s gone down from 21 to 16 carries a game. The rushing yards are about cut in half. His yards per rush are down. This is not the Saquon Barkley that we’re used to seeing. He’s less explosive. He’s less dynamic, and he’s less game-changing.”
It’s impossible to argue with the statistics Harris pulled.
Running behind a dominant offensive line featuring Cam Jurgens, younger version of Lane Johnson, and a resurgent Jordan Mailata, Barkley spearheaded the best rushing offense in the league.
In 2024, PFN awarded Barkley a Running Back Impact score of 96.2, ranking 9th among all-time running back seasons in PFN’s database.
He’d finish the season with 2,005 rushing yards, 278 receiving yards, and 15 total touchdowns.
Barkley’s dynamic ability forced defenses to stack the box, leaving plenty of room for Hurts to make plays through the air with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.
Since the 2024 Super Bowl run, Barkley hasn’t looked the same — likely due to a combination of worsening offensive line play and his massive workload dating back to Penn State catching up to him.
2025 saw a notable decrease in production, with Barkley recording only 1,140 rushing yards and seven touchdowns.
Through 2026, he’s run for only 92 yards on 19 carries, though he did miss part of last week’s game against the Tennessee Titans with a stinger.
Harris continued, “You have to think of how this is going to help Jalen Hurts… when you don’t have the rushing attack, that puts more pressure on Jalen Hurts’ shoulders to step up and be the number one quarterback… Jalen Hurts needs help right now; he needs a lot of help, and this is the guy (Barkley) who really made Jalen Hurts shine.
Regardless of injuries, Barkley needs to step up for his signal caller.
Hurts isn’t able to consistently overpower defenses with his arm like Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen. He needs a game-changing running back to help activate what he’s best at — play action and run-pass option plays.
So far, Barkley hasn’t shown his 2024 form, preventing Hurts from getting in a groove.
Hurts and company will hope Barkley can return to his old self when they take on the Chicago Bears on Monday, 8:15 ET on September 28.
