Philadelphia Eagles operating again Saquon Barkley could possibly be a dominant efficiency towards the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs in Tremendous Bowl LIX away from finishing arguably the biggest running-back season in NFL historical past.
Forward of Sunday’s showdown in New Orleans, Eagles normal supervisor Howie Roseman mirrored on what Barkley has meant to the group over the previous 11 months.
“I would wish to say he is exceeded expectations, however he is all the time been the most effective gamers I’ve ever seen every time I’ve watched him and I’ve all the time recognized about what sort of particular person he’s as a result of it isn’t laborious to search out that out,” Roseman not too long ago mentioned about Barkley, as shared by Tim McManus of ESPN. “So I am actually not stunned by any of this, and I do not say that in an smug method, it is primarily based on who he’s, nothing to do with me, as a result of that is who he is all the time been. And I am simply glad everybody will get to see that.”
Quite a few reporters and analysts defended the New York Giants for not overpaying to cease Barkley from reaching free company final March. A few of those self same people mentioned that even an marketed Tremendous Bowl contender such because the Eagles should not signal a veteran ball-carrier with a worrisome injury history to a three-year, $37.75M contract that could possibly be price as much as $46.75M with $26M absolutely assured.
After all, Barkley has since turn into the perfect offensive participant for a workforce that gained 15 of 16 video games from Week 6 via convention championship Sunday. He led the league for the common season with 2,283 whole yards from scrimmage, is 30 yards away from surpassing Terrell Davis (2,476) for essentially the most speeding yards from Week 1 of a season via that marketing campaign’s Tremendous Bowl, is the presumptive AP Offensive Participant of the 12 months Award winner and a finalist for the Most Invaluable Participant Award.
As of Monday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had Barkley second among the many betting favorites at +260 odds to say Tremendous Bowl MVP Award honors.
Alongside together with his large on-the-field contributions, Barkley also emerged as an outspoken chief within the Philadelphia locker room going again to final spring. In brief, he is been price each penny he is acquired from the Eagles.
“[He has been a] enormous, enormous participant and particular person for this workforce,” Roseman added. “And [signing him was] not a tough set off to tug. I feel I am being in step with what I mentioned in March — was extraordinarily assured within the participant and the particular person.”
Additionally on Monday, DraftKings Sportsbook continued to listing the Eagles as 1.5-point underdogs towards the Chiefs. If Philadelphia earns an upset win at Caesars Superdome, Barkley may get his arms on a number of trophies from the beginning of Thursday’s “NFL Honors” awards present via late Sunday evening.
