Could Saquon Barkley be traded in Eagles' rebuilding year?
· Yahoo Sports
The NFL trade deadline is quickly approaching. November 10 at 4 p.m. E.T. will mark the end of deal season, at least until Super Bowl 61 is in the books.
That's a cutoff that's steadily generated more action in recent years. In-season trades have gone from abnormality to regularity in recent years. It always felt like the Philadelphia Eagles could be active as general manager Howie Roseman sorted through roster moves this fall. But most scenarios had the 2024 Super Bowl champions buying to bolster a playoff run.
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Instead, it may be the other way around. Philadelphia has lost five straight games after a 2-5 start. All-Pro quarterback Jalen Hurts is out for the season dealing with blood clots. Future Hall of Fame right tackle Lane Johnson retired. DeVonta Smith has battled injury.
So has Saquon Barkley, who could be on the block as Roseman's most valuable trade asset. We've seen him be the booster rocket for a world champion before. Could he be on the move before November 10th?
Why the Eagles could trade Barkley
It would be one thing if the Philadelphia offense was humming before losing Hurts. Instead, this has been an uninspired attack, somehow worse than last season's. That year, the Eagles ranked 17th in the NFL in expected points added (EPA) per snap and failed to win a playoff game despite winning the NFC East. This year, for the five games Hurts played, that fell to 29th. Swapping out Kevin Patullo for Sean Mannion at offensive coordinator not only didn't fix things, but shattered them to smaller pieces.
Barkley was throttled in 2025 but has bounced back admirably in 2026. His 1.8 rushing yards over expected (RYOE) per carry are a career high, though that's in a small 43-handoff sample due to injury and some baffling usage early in the season. He's 29 years old and has plenty of miles on his engine, but is still performing well enough to command a Day 2 draft pick in a trade. Given Roseman's string of draft hits recently, that's enticing.
Dealing him would leave about $8 million in dead cap commitments behind this year, which isn't a major concern. Tank Bigsby is currently on injured reserve after surgery to repair a core muscle concern, but he's proven to be an explosive change of pace back in the past; he had 226 RYOE across 2024 (with the Jacksonville Jaguars) and 2025 combined. He could handle duties upon his return, giving the Eagles a chance to decide whether they want to re-sign him when he hits free agency next spring.
Why the Eagles wouldn't trade Barkley
Barkley is an incredibly important piece of infrastructure, especially for an offense that now belongs to quarterback Tanner McKee. The NFC East is wide open and Philadelphia, even at 2-5, still has valid playoff aspirations. Turning that over to Bigsby, who disappointed in his four games this fall (3.3 yards per carry), would only make things more difficult for the Eagles' offense.
Barkley has struggled with injury this season. He labored through just seven carries on Monday night and has dealt with back and hamstring issues. That could dent his trade value.
If Philly is in the market for a new head coach this offseason, Barkley is an asset to attract the best candidate. If Nick Sirianni is back and placed firmly on the hot seat, he's going to want the running back who gained more than 2,000 yards and helped win him a Super Bowl in the lineup. It may take a sweetheart deal to land Barkley, and NFL teams, seeing a wide open landscape with few dominant teams so far in 2026, may opt to try their luck with less pricey additions.
My educated guess at Barkley's trade odds: 35 percent.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Could Saquon Barkley be traded in Eagles' rebuilding year?