May 28, 2026
Colleen Claggett/for PhillyVoice
While learning the new Eagles offense, Saquon Barkley contacted former NFL great Todd Gurley to get insight.
The new Eagles offensive scheme being implemented by first-year coordinator Sean Mannion promises to be different than what the Eagles have featured in the past under head coach Nick Sirianni and multiple different offensive coordinators.
In the run game, the Eagles are expecting to implement more outside zone run schemes, sometimes known as "wide zone" or "stretch zone," which is a major deviation from the heavy doses of inside running the Eagles have historically leaned on.
In his first press conference of the spring, superstar Eagles running back Saquon Barkley acknowledged that he's still adjusting to the different playbook, and also looking for some outside counsel.
Barkley, who in the past has talked about watching film of his running back contemporaries around the league, to both learn from and measure himself against, said after Wednesday's OTA practice that he recently engaged with former great NFL running back Todd Gurley to get some extra insight on the new offense.
Gurley and Mannion were teammates with the Rams from 2015-2019, which means Mannion, then a backup quarterback, enjoyed a front-row seat to some of the greatest seasons ever from an NFL halfback.
Gurley piled up just under 4,000 yards and totaled an NFL-most 40 touchdowns combined in 2017 and 2018, the first two years of Sean McVay's coaching career. McVay, like many coaches who were influenced by Mike Shanahan, ran an outside zone-heavy scheme those years, with Gurley emerging into an almost unstoppable force.
Gurley made All Pro both of those seasons and finished as MVP runner-up in 2017 while winning Offensive Player of the Year.
Mannion's offensive vision is expected to blend what he learned from McVay during his time with the Rams and from his past two seasons coaching quarterbacks in Green Bay under Packers coach Matt LaFleur, who was McVay's first offensive coordinator in Los Angeles.
Barkley, like Gurley did, could thrive if he can grasp the newer blocking concepts in front of him and see the holes from a different perspective than he's become accustomed to under the old run scheme, which was designed by former Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland.
"Watching kind of his film, obviously it's a little bit different, but the big years that he had when he was healthy, the way he attacked it," Barkley said of Gurley when asked if he's studied any running backs familiar with Mannion's scheme. "But I do that no matter what in the offseason, watch guys that are in the league right now who I'm fans of – the Bijan [Robinson]s, the [Jamhyr] Gibbs, [Christian] McCaffrey, [Derrick] Henry, Jonathan Taylors of the world. I also go back to the OGs and watch them to see what I can add to my game, and just always looking forward to improving my game also."
Barkley didn't say anything about the advice or feedback he received from Gurley, who had some injuries after those two tremendous seasons and only played two more years in the league.
"I was a big fan of Todd when I was coming up," said Barkley, who was drafted second overall in 2018 by the Giants. "I don't think I ever got to play against him, actually."
But Barkley did discuss the differences between the inside zone-heavy scheme that helped him set the combined regular season and postseason rushing record in 2024 as the Eagles steamrolled their way to a Super Bowl win and the outside zones that were once a staple of of McVay's offense and remain core principles of several current NFL coaches who, like McVay and LaFleur, were schooled in the legendary Mike Shanahan/Gary Kubiak run offense.
The outside zone is designed to move horizontally and leave a gap, or bubble, for running backs to jump-cut into before getting downhill. The quarterback is often under center, with the running back aligned directly behind him.
Here's an example of Gurley taking one to the house, using a jump-cut and getting downhill very quickly (h/t @RamsOnFilm):
The Rams essentially took their place as leaders of the NFC West for the first time in over a decade with this dismantling of the Seahawks in Seattle during the 2017 season. Todd Gurley made it 34-0 at halftime with this Iconic touchdown run. We “made it” on this day pic.twitter.com/gKTx3Uceht
— RAMS ON FILM (@RamsOnFilm) October 6, 2021
Barkley is more used to being aligned next to Hurts in the shotgun, taking the handoff and getting downhill immediately, running between the center and guard.
SAQUON BARKLEY OH MY
— NFL (@NFL) January 19, 2025
📺: #LARvsPHI on NBC
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus + Peacock pic.twitter.com/bh3kTy2IqP
Barkley admitted that he hasn't been a one-cut style of runner, which is why he's going back to basics and doing things like reaching out to Gurley.
"I naturally, especially after my ACL, I like to cut off of two, so just preparing myself," he said. "Kinda fun going back to when I was a kid again, just working on my steps, working on on my little details and techniques, but also knowing I'm explosive off two legs, so incorporating that."
For now, the Eagles are in the embryonic stages of the new offense. Pads won't even come out until training camp. Right now, it's just basic play installations and half-speed reps in OTAs.
"I think it's too early to get too deep into the Xs and Os right now," Barkley said. "Really just focusing on building the foundation and buying into that. Obviously there's some different stuff that we did previously, but I think it's a great plan that he's putting together. Now, it's just taking it step by step every day and improving on it."
SIGN UP HERE to receive PhillyVoice's Sports newsletters.
Follow Geoff on Twitter/X: @geoffpmosher
Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice Sports
