The Philadelphia Eagles are facing a difficult stretch during an injury-riddled season, triggering trade rumors surrounding their major offensive stars. With quarterback Jalen Hurts out for the remainder of the year due to blood clots and several key offensive contributors dealing with health issues, speculation has emerged regarding whether running back Saquon Barkley could be dealt back to his former team, the New York Giants.
Philadelphia’s Injury Crisis and New York’s Backfield Void
Philadelphia dropped to 2-5 on the season following a fifth consecutive defeat, losing on Monday night to the Dallas Cowboys, who moved to 3-4. Ahead of that game, the Eagles listed 25 players on their injury report, including receiver DeVonta Smith, tight end Dallas Goedert, guard Landon Dickerson, and tackle Lane Johnson, who announced his retirement in early October. Barkley returned from a two-game absence against Dallas, rushing for 62 yards and a touchdown before re-injuring his hamstring during the first half.
Meanwhile, the Giants currently lead the NFC East for the first time since 2015 and hold the provisional No. 3 seed in the NFC, sitting ahead of the Cowboys and the one-win Washington Commanders. New York recently released running back Najee Harris following his public criticism of the team’s backfield rotation. In Week 6, quarterback J.J. McCarthy led the team in rushing with only 26 yards. Head coach John Harbaugh noted that having a definitive primary rusher like Barkley would resolve the team’s lingering backfield questions.
Evaluating the Potential Reunion
Reacquiring Barkley offers high-end production for New York. The former first-round selection, Super Bowl champion, and three-time Pro Bowler has recorded five 1,000-yard rushing seasons, including three with New York and two with Philadelphia. During the 2024 regular season and playoffs combined, Barkley set a franchise mark with 2,504 rushing yards for the Eagles.
However, significant drawbacks exist for the Giants. Earlier this season, New York attempted a veteran reunion by signing receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who was released after appearing in three games with zero receptions on 20 total snaps. At 29 years old, Barkley commands a significant financial commitment for a non-long-term asset. According to CBS Sports analyst Carter Barns, a potential trade proposal could involve sending young running back Cam Skattebo to Philadelphia, though doing so might disrupt Skattebo’s promising pairing with quarterback Jaxson Dart. In nine games playing alongside Dart, Skattebo has produced 530 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 129 carries, recovering from earlier fumble issues with a strong performance in Week 7.
For Philadelphia, trading away another marquee offensive player after dealing receiver A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots during the offseason would further weaken their roster, making an intra-division trade with a rival unlikely.
