Former Penn State football running back Saquon Barkley has been electrifying on the field this season for the Philadelphia Eagles, but how does this huge free agency signing impact the team?

On the surface level, it is very easy to see that Barkley is a playmaker with 1,137 rushing yards from scrimmage, the second-highest in the NFL behind Derrick Henry.

The Penn State alumnus has been a “crutch” for the Eagles offense when needed. He can consistently break tackles, make defenders miss, and provide another option in the pass attack. Barkley leads the league in 1,347 total yards.

While Barkley himself has been dangerous on the field, he has also elevated the rest of the offense. Last year with D’Andre Swift as their top running back, the Eagles had 2,190 yards on the ground in the regular season. With Barkley now taking the helm as RB1, Philadelphia has pounded the rock, rushing for 1,813 yards through only 10 games.

Barkley rushed for 962 yards in his final year as a New York Giant as his now-former team totaled 1,874 rushing yards. This year, the Giants’ leading rusher Tyrone Tracy Jr. has only rushed for 572 yards, and the Giants have totaled only 1,199 rushing yards this year.

The numbers don’t lie, Barkley’s having the best statistical season of his career behind an offensive line that can win in the trenches more consistently than any offensive line the Giants had during his six-year tenure in New Jersey. In his rookie year on the Giants, Barkley was used much more as a receiving back with 721 receiving yards, much higher than his current total of 210 receiving yards through 10 games with the Eagles.

Comparing the passing yards of last year and this year, one would say last year was the better passing offense, right? Wrong! Jalen Hurts has been much better with not only his decision-making this year after the week five bye. The Eagles’ offense has a balanced attack in which the defense has to respect not only Hurts’ ability to pass the ball to an elite wide receiver core but also Barkley’s legs as he’s taken his play it up a notch when the Philadelphia offense seems to be sputtering.

Philadelphia head coach Nick Sirianni has given Barkley high praise for his plays on the field and his character in the locker room.

“What’s not known about him is how good of a teammate he is, how hard of a worker he is,” Sirianni said. “He’s a special player, special teammate, special dude.”

Sirianni also called Barkley’s backward hurdle against the Jacksonville Jaguars the best play he’d ever seen.

OH MY SAQUON pic.twitter.com/X1ysSF5U07

— Onward State (@OnwardState) November 3, 2024

Overall, his teammates, coaches, and fans have seen Barkley’s impact on and off the field as a star on a very talented roster and a leader in the locker room.