August 01, 2025
Colleen Claggett/for PhillyVoice
Saquon Barkley #26 of the Philadelphia Eagles performs a drill during a Philadelphia Eagles practice at the NovaCare Complex in Philadelphia, Pa. on Wednesday, July 23, 2025.
The Eagles had a long, padded practice Friday morning and the defense continued the trend of dominating this summer in South Philly.
There was one exception — returning Offensive Player of the Year Saquon Barkley.
Let's dive right into today's recipients of PhillyVoice training camp game balls:
After rushing for the most yards in the history of football — regular season and postseason combined — in 2024 as the Eagles won the Super Bowl, many are expecting the team to lighten his load for 2025 a bit.
That did not seem to be remotely in the cards, at least after watching Friday's practice.
It's extremely hard for a running back to stand out during a football practice. With no tackling to the ground, plays frequently whistled dead, and players on both sides of the football often focusing on honing a particular skill or technique, there's really no telling how well a running back would have fared were he playing in a game situation.
Barkley was just too dominant and too present to deny him the game ball this time. Here's an assorted look at some highlights that give light to the frequency of his usage (and him looking in mid-season form already):
• Early in 11-on-11 drills, Barkley broke off a huge off-tackle run to his left side, one those fans are used to seeing gain 40 yards or more as he turns a run play into a track meet. This one was whistled dead after 30 yards or so.
• He had a second outside run that netted at least 15 yards on the ground.
• Jalen Hurts rolled to his right with Barkley running along with him — the two connected for a first down through the air.
• He had a fourth-down catch in the red zone for a key first down.
• Late in practice Barkley ran between the tackles, two times, for touchdowns on each scamper in red zone drills.
• Also late in practice he caught a pair of screen passes.
This does not sound like a player who is going to be getting less work this season. Barkley was basically touching the football every time he was on the field. Fantasy enthusiasts take note – the regression from last season might not be very drastic, if at all.
The defense was everywhere Friday. Balls were hitting the ground over and over again, with the secondary flying. Quinyon Mitchell, Lewis Cine, Reed Blankenship and Smael Mondon Jr. were just some of the players to get their hands on passes in practice.
There was only one real turnover — though a few awful snaps led to whistles and could have been fumbles in a game.
Looking to fill the big shoes of the departed Milton Williams, Moro Ojomo has been impressing with the Eagles' first-team defense. On a pass rush midway through the team's most recent practice, Ojomo beat his man and knocked the football loose from Hurts' hands as he dropped back to pass.
It was a strip sack, and the defensive highlight of the day.
Ojomo is just 23 and entering his third NFL season as he's ascended from being a developmental seventh-round pick in 2023. He played in every game last season but has not yet recorded a sack — with just 23 career tackles over 456 total snaps. He is a popular candidate to break out in 2025.
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