The Philadelphia Eagles report to the NovaCare Complex for the start of 2025 Training Camp, presented by Independence Blue Cross, on Tuesday, July 22. Over the next few weeks, PhiladelphiaEagles.com will get you ready by previewing the top storylines at each position. Today, a look at the running back position, featuring the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year, Saquon Barkley.
- Did You Know?
Sure, Saquon Barkley became just the ninth player in NFL history to surpass 2,000 rushing yards in a single season, let alone an NFL-record 2,504 when including the playoffs, but Barkley's 1,245 rushing yards in the second half of games, the most by any NFL player since at least 1991, would have ranked eighth in the league in total rushing yards.
- Returning Starter
Madden 26 NFL cover star Saquon Barkley (6-0, 232 pounds) authored one of the greatest individual seasons in NFL history on his way to Offensive Player of the Year honors, becoming the first Eagle to capture the award. With a franchise-record 2,283 yards from scrimmage in the regular season, Barkley accounted for a league-best 34.8 percent of the team's output to go along with 15 total touchdowns. He rushed for 100 yards or more in 11 games in the regular season and 14 times, counting the playoffs. Barkley's explosiveness changed the dynamic of the offense. He gained 10-plus yards an NFL-best 46 times in the regular season and set an NFL record with seven rushing touchdowns of 60+ yards, including playoffs.
- In the Mix
Most of Will Shipley's (5-11, 209 pounds) impact as a rookie came on special teams in 2024 where he tied for third in tackles and was fourth in snaps, but he displayed the explosiveness that caught the team's attention in the pre-draft process on a 57-yard run against the Commanders in the NFC Championship that was followed by his first career touchdown. Offensively in the regular season, Shipley accounted for 117 yards of offense on 34 total touches.
Ben VanSumeren (6-2, 231 pounds) made the full-time transition from linebacker to fullback in the 2025 offseason (he dabbled as a fullback in college). He played in 11 games last year, primarily on special teams, with 213 snaps and another 22 more coming on offense.
Lew Nichols (5-10, 220 pounds) has yet to make his NFL regular-season debut, but the former Packers draft pick spent the 2024 offseason with the team. The former FBS rushing champion at Central Michigan, Nichols was on the Eagles' practice squad for portions of the Super Bowl season.
- New to the Nest
After missing all of 2024 due to a neck injury, A.J. Dillon, a.k.a. Quadzilla, is primed and ready to go, signing a one-year deal with the Eagles in free agency. He adds additional size (6-0, 247 pounds) that the Eagles didn't have behind Barkley in 2024. In his first four NFL seasons, the former second-round pick gained 2,428 yards (4.1 yards per carry) and scored 16 touchdowns. He also tabbed 86 receptions out of the backfield.
Just before the Mandatory Minicamp, the Eagles claimed former Jaguars running back Keilan Robinson off waivers. A fifth-round pick of Jacksonville in 2024, Robinson (5-8, 191 pounds) played in six games as a rookie, almost exclusively on special teams, chipping in with a pair of kickoff returns. He averaged 6.6 yards per carry and handled kick and punt return duties in college (at Alabama and Texas).
Rookie free agent Montrell Johnson (5-11, 212 pounds) was the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year before transferring to Florida, where he led the team in rushing in back-to-back seasons. At the end of his college career, Johnson was the SEC's active leader in rushing touchdowns.
ShunDerrick Powell, also a rookie free agent, eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in each of his final three college seasons (one at North Alabama, two at Central Arkansas). The 5-7, 183-pound Powell averaged 8.2 yards per carry as a senior, while scoring 17 total touchdowns. In fact, he gained 120+ yards in the first seven games of the season.
- Bird Call
"I feel really good. I feel like I'm entering my prime." – Saquon Barkley
- Storylines to Follow
Will Training Camp offer a look into how the Eagles will manage Saquon Barkley's workload in 2025? ... How does A.J. Dillon look after missing the 2024 season? ... Can Will Shipley build upon his strong finish to his rookie campaign and make the Year 2 leap? ... How much of a role will a full-time fullback have in the offense? ... Will one of the rookie free agents emerge to push for a roster spot?
- How Many Made the Initial 53 in 2024: 3
