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Eagles running back Saquon Barkley ran roughshod over the Dallas Cowboys last season.
The Dallas Cowboys‘ blockbuster trade sending All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers alters the landscape of the NFC East, changes the Super Bowl picture in the NFC, and just might have been sparked by the Philadelphia Eagles‘ landmark Saquon Barkley signing, last spring.
“They’re Super Bowl contenders now,” an AFC scout told me of the Packers, on the condition of anonymity to speak freely about the trade.
If the Packers are going to get to the Super Bowl, they’ll have to get through Barkley and the Eagles in the NFC, and, Barkley’s presence seems to have altered how Jerry Jones views the Cowboys’ roster.
After all, Jones just traded away a generational player at a premium position in exchange for two first-round draft picks and a 30-year-old run-stuffing nose tackle, in Kenny Clark.
“We have to stop the run,” Jones told reporters Thursday, following the shocking news of the trade.
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Dallas, of course, shares a division with and faces off against Barkley and the Eagles twice each season.
Not only did Barkley win the rushing crown and NFL Offensive Player of The Year last season, but ran roughshod over the Cowboys for 167 yards in the second matchup of the season between division foes.
Clark becomes the centerpiece of the Cowboys’ interior, a year removed from finishing as Pro Football Focus’ No. 83 ranked run-defender while posting 19 run stops along with his 37 total tackles and one sack last season.
There is little question that the Cowboys’ defense got worse overall by subtracting Parsons, and the trade likely lowers Dallas’ ceiling, but having to face a 2,000-yard running back twice per season could alter positional priorities for a team.
Beyond Barkley’s onslaught, and his potential of stacking encores over the next several seasons, the only four teams allowed more rushing yards than the Cowboys’ 137.1 per game in 2024.
Only time will tell if swapping a generational pass rusher for a proven run-stuffer was the right call, but for Jerry Jones, the clear and present danger posed by the Eagles’ star running back was a threat that had to be addressed, no matter the cost.
Eagles Bring Back Return Specialist
The Eagles are reuniting with punt returner Britain Covey, who Philadelphia signed to the practice squad after he was released by the Los Angeles Rams.
Covey, 28, has posted 11 receptions for 76 yards in his career, but provides insurance as a special teams weapon should the Eagles suffer an injury to one of their returners at some point this upcoming season.
While he wasn’t on the field when the Eagles won the Super Bowl in 2024, after a neck injury landed him on injured reserve, there’s a chance he could play a role in Philadelphia’s repeat bid this fall.
Matt Lombardo covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants. Founder, NFL Insider for Between The Hashmarks and host of the Between The Hashmarks Podcast. A seasoned NFL reporter with over a decade of experience, he previously served as FanSided’s national NFL insider and host of “The Matt Lombardo Show” podcast. Past stops also include NJ.com and radio for 97.5 The Fanatic and 97.3 ESPN FM. More about Matt Lombardo
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