Eagles Could Cut Newcomer Before He Plays a Regular Season Snap

Saquon Barkley is the focal point of the Philadelphia Eagles‘ offense, and the workhorse at the top of the depth chart at running back, but when the 2025 season kicks off, head coach Nick Sirianni and staff may need to be smarter about his workload.

Coming off a career-high 345 regular season carries, and three postseason games, managing Barkley’s carries and availability for Philadelphia’s most important games in December and January could be a paramount task for the coaching staff.

Signing A.J. Dillon and dropping him into a backfield alongside Barkley, Will Shipley, and Avery Williams was likely a decision made with preserving Barkley in mind.

However, with training camp set to open, NBC Sports Philadelphia analyst Dave Zangaro suggests Dillon could be entering the summer sitting on the roster bubble.

“The veteran running back joined the Eagles on a one-year deal this offseason,” Zangaro points out for NBCS Philadelphia. “After missing the entire 2024 season with a neck injury. While Dillon said he’s healthy and practiced this spring, we’ll have to see what he can do in training camp. In his first four seasons, Dillon was productive for the Packers with over 2,400 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. He also has the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. He could be a solid backup behind Saquon Barkley (and maybe Will Shipley) if his health isn’t a concern.”

Proving that he’s fully healthy would be a big first step towards Dillon both securing a roster spot and working his way towards earning meaningful carries in the Eagles’ backfield rotation.

The 27-year-old Dillon boasts a career-4.1 yards per carry average and has scored 16 touchdowns through his first four seasons in a Packers uniform.

Just what kind of role Dillon is able to carve out for himself this summer may also hinge on Shipley making strides in his second season. If the former Clemson standout makes a big leap during camp and the preseason, it isn’t difficult to envision him emerging as Barkley’s top understudy when the games begin to count come September.