Seeing Saquon Barkley in a Philadelphia Eagles jersey made offensive lineman Lane Johnson feel he was in an “alternate reality.” After all, the running back played for their bitter NFC East rivals, the New York Giants, for six seasons.
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But as he realized they were now teammates, Johnson shared on ‘The Rich Eisen Show’ about Barkley’s “big legs.”
“Early impressions are, good God, he has some big legs. I bet he can squat a lot. I bet he can run fast, and about 15 seconds in, he’s proven everybody right; a guy that can do it all at the running back position and then flex him out at wide receiver can do that.”
Oddly, the Giants allowed Barkley to walk away without a contract extension after a solid 2023 season. Despite missing three games, the former Penn State standout used his massive legs to collect 962 rushing yards and six touchdowns. Instead, the Giants acquired Devin Singletary a day after Barkley signed a three-year deal with the Eagles.
Developing the body part that sustains his optimal performance is a testament to his hard work. After suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in 2020, he has stayed relatively healthy thanks to his workout. What’s scary is that Barkley is pushing himself to the limit, as shown in his 585-pound squat.
In addition to lifting weights and exercising, the two-time Pro Bowl running back puts a premium on having a healthy diet. As Essence’s Okla Jones wrote last January, Barkley has embraced a plant-based diet since his Nittany Lions days.
Meanwhile, Johnson and the Eagles’ offensive line will be invaluable to their success. The 12-year veteran must sustain or improve on his 80.9 overall PFF grade from last season.
Lane Johnson Remains Optimistic in 2024 Despite Last Year’s Collapse
Coming off a stint in Super Bowl LVII, the Eagles started the 2023 season by winning ten of their first 11 games. Since then, they’ve lost six of their next seven, including their Wild Card Round game versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That outcome made Johnson ponder that while they have a strong roster on paper, they must prove their might on the football field.
“I felt last year, the last seven games was a total misrepresentation of what we were, and we didn’t do anything to write that wrong. So, we’re ready to do that, eager to do that but when I look around, I’ve been a part of so many talented teams. But looking at our offense, this is one of the best that I’ve been around,” the All-Pro right tackle added.
Lane Johnson and the Eagles enter the 2024 season with new challenges, particularly filling in for retired center Jason Kelce. Despite his departure, Philadelphia still has the makings of an unstoppable offense with Barkley, Jalen Hurts, Dallas Goedert, DeVonta Smith, and A.J. Brown.
However, they can’t expect positive results if they score 16.5 points per game, which was their average during their late-season downfall.
Meanwhile, Johnson will embrace a more prominent leadership role now that he’s the longest-tenured Eagles offensive lineman. He must make the likes of Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, and Cam Jurgens accountable. After all, PFF regarded them as the NFL’s best offensive line after the 2023 regular season ended.
