There’s no debate about the identity of the Philadelphia Eagles RB1. Saquon Barkley led the charge with ease last season and was one of the main reasons Philly brought home a Super Bowl.
A recent trade has enabled the Eagles to shore up the depth chart behind Barkley as Philadelphia embarks on its title-defense season. Even with Will Shipley and AJ Dillon on the roster, the Eagles still thought this was a necessary move.
Tank Bigsby Becomes Philadelphia Eagles’ New RB2
A shocking trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars sees Tank Bigsby become Barkley’s new primary backup. The 23-year-old was drafted by the Jaguars with the No. 88 overall pick just two seasons ago.
Since joining the league in 2023, Bigsby has 910 career rushing yards. Seven of his nine career touchdowns came last season, when he led Jacksonville with 766 rushing yards. Bigsby was joined in the Jaguars backfield by Travis Etienne Jr., who had 558 rushing yards in his own right.
Sources: The #Eagles are at it again, trading for #Jaguars RB Tank Bigsby. The champs continue to build. pic.twitter.com/vEW86peKRq
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 8, 2025
Barkley’s health is undoubtedly the team’s top priority. The Eagles know how much they worked him last season, the first 2,000-yard season of his illustrious career. The one-time No. 2 overall pick made an immediate impact in Philadelphia after spending his first six seasons on the New York Giants.
Last season, Barkley didn’t have much competition. Granted, there may not be any back that can adequately fill his shoes, but the Eagles’ RB room still left a lot to be desired. Without Barkley, the team was in trouble.
Hurts was the Eagles’ No. 2 rusher, as the only other RB to surpass even 100 yards was Kenneth Gainwell, who is now on the Pittsburgh Steelers.
A rib injury to Shipley left the team no choice but to find a new backup running back. The Eagles appear to have little faith in Dillon, who backed up Aaron Jones in Green Bay from 2020-23. After missing all of 2024, Dillon debuted for the Eagles with three carries for just 10 yards against the Cowboys in Week 1.
It took a pair of draft picks for the Eagles to acquire Bigsby, 2026 fifth- and sixth-round selections. The Auburn graduate had just five rush attempts for 12 yards in the Jaguars’ Week 1 victory over the Carolina Panthers.
Moving forward, Barkley remains the Eagles’ clear RB1. With Shipley injured and Dillon still easing back into action, Bigsby could take over RB2 duties as soon as Week 2. All eyes are on Sunday, Sept. 14 as the Eagles head to Kansas City for a Super Bowl LIX rematch.
