Is Saquon Barkley guilty of historical revisionism?
The Philadelphia Eagles‘ star running back might be doing just that right now. It might be fun, and Eagles fans will like it, but is it likely to be the truth?
According to CBS Sports’ Cody Nagel, Saquon is apparently attempting to create a story by saying the Cowboys or Commanders did not pursue Barkley in free agency following the 2023 season, his last with the New York Giants.
Let’s see, the Commanders were coming off of their horrendous, non-competitive 2023 season when they finished 4-13. They were a disaster, losing in large blowouts coming down the stretch of the season. Ron Rivera was understandably fired, and the Commanders owned the second selection in the draft. This meant that everyone knew they were going to take a quarterback and would be expected to start the rookie, without any idea what that rookie’s career was going to be like.
Barkley, meanwhile, had finished 2023 with the Giants going 6-11. If Barkley wants to tell everyone the Cowboys demonstrated no interest in him, that is one thing. You see, Dallas had finished 12-5 at the top of the NFC East. Barkley would have been very interested in going to Dallas, playing alongside established offensive stalwarts Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb.
However, the Commanders were a train wreck, Rivera’s drafts were pitiful, and remember, Dan Quinn was not a popular hire initially, being referred to more than a few times as a ‘retread head coach.’ Sure, Saquan can easily say the Commanders showed no interest, but the question is, did Saquan have any interest in signing with the 4-13 Commanders? Would he have even possessed the slightest interest?
Weren’t the Commanders gutting their roster, determined to be in the process of starting over with Adam Peters, Dan Quinn, and rookie Jayden Daniels? Why on earth would Peters, taking over such a train wreck, have gone out and paid a running back with an ACL surgery a three-year $37.75 million contract?
The Eagles, meanwhile, had gone 11-6 the previous season and finished second in the NFC East. Now, which team would be more inclined to spend that type of money on an experienced running back? It’s the Eagles, of course! And that is why they paid Barkley the big contract for a running back.
Keep in mind also, the Eagles, knowing their roster was full of talented players, felt a top running back would be just the thing to give their quarterback, Jalen Hurts, a great running back to help him and the offense.
In addition, anyone care to recall the comparison between the Commanders’ offensive line after the 2023 season and the Eagles’ offensive line, widely regarded as perhaps the best in the NFL? Yeah, sure, Saquon was interested in the Commanders. Only the naive can believe this created narrative.
But there is Barkley being quoted as saying, “Nah, never heard a word from the Commanders or Dallas. That’s why it’s BTA when I see them.” If you are wondering, Saquon is trying to persuade NFL followers that because Dallas and Washington did not pursue him in free agency, when he plays against them, he is applying his ‘Belt to A– (BTA).’
Oh, please, can’t you recognize that Barkley is making it up as he goes along? Perhaps he really wanted to leave the Giants and become a Cowboy, but he is not going to be able to truly convince anyone with an NFL memory of the situation following the 2023 season that he wanted to leave the Giants for the Commanders.
Barkley sure is talking a lot about the Commanders, isn’t he? Over the weekend, he also said that Washington’s celebrating a win over the Eagles in Week 16 proved to be a motivating factor in the NFC championship game.
It’s easier, of course, for Barkley to talk of how pumped up he gets to play Washington because they ignored him in free agency. Wouldn’t it require more honesty and more humility to simply admit that his success against Washington was more because the Eagles’ offensive line was perhaps the best in the NFL, while the Commanders’ run defense left much to be desired?
That’s the truth, but not as entertaining a narrative, is it?