On the Philadelphia Eagles’ second drive of the game, Saquon Barkley fell to a knee after a six-yard run. He was able to walk off the field under his own power, but instead of returning to the sideline, Barkley headed to the locker room to be evaluated. He was diagnosed with a hamstring injury and has now officially been ruled out for the remainder of the game.
Barkley has been one of the most important pieces of Philadelphia’s offense since joining the team in 2024. He ranks second in the NFL in total rushing yards during that span, trailing only Derrick Henry, and had opened the season with another strong start. Through his first two healthy games, Barkley had eclipsed 80 rushing yards in both outings and remained among the league leaders in yards per carry despite inconsistent play from the interior of the Eagles’ offensive line.
Barkley’s injury is the latest in a growing list of issues that have affected the Eagles’ roster. Jalen Hurts’ supporting cast may be as depleted as it has been since he became the team’s starting quarterback. Entering the game, Philadelphia was already without DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert and Hollywood Brown because of injuries, while Lane Johnson was ruled inactive just hours before kickoff.
Philadelphia does not have much depth at the position, with only Tank Bigsby and Will Shipley active behind Barkley. That lack of depth became evident when Barkley went down early in the Week 2 matchup with the Tennessee Titans. The Eagles’ running game struggled without him, as neither Bigsby nor Shipley recorded a gain of at least 10 yards, and both averaged fewer than 3.5 yards per carry.
The Eagles will now have to wait for more information before knowing how much time Barkley could miss. There is currently no definitive timetable for his return, but even a short absence would put more pressure on an offense already missing several of its top playmakers.
With Smith and Goedert both expected to miss multiple games, Barkley’s availability could become even more important as Philadelphia looks to keep its offense afloat. If the injury is a long-term issue, the Eagles could look to elevate Carson Steele from the practice squad, who had a strong preseason.
