Eagles not trading Saquon Barkley before the Nov. 10 NFL trade deadline is the reported decision out of Philadelphia on Sunday, ending days of speculation that the star running back could be moved as the Eagles weigh their future. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reported that Philadelphia has made it clear to other teams that it is not considering a Barkley trade, and the timing matters: the news arrived hours before the Eagles’ Sunday Night Football game against the Washington Commanders.
The report, carried by USA Today, Athlon Sports and theScore on Sunday, frames the decision as a look beyond this season rather than a judgment on the current one. Philadelphia is 2-5 and has lost five straight games after a 2-0 start, and quarterback Jalen Hurts is out for the rest of the season after blood clots were found in his lungs. In that setting, a team in sell mode might have listened on almost anyone. According to the reporting, the Eagles are not doing that with Barkley, because general manager Howie Roseman and the organization believe they still have enough talent to compete in 2027 and beyond, and they see Barkley as part of that roster.
Why Eagles not trading Saquon Barkley matters for 2027
Barkley, 29, remains under contract through the 2028 season after signing a two-year, $41.2 million extension, with roughly $35 million remaining on the deal after this season, according to the reporting. That contract is part of the calculation in both directions. Moving him would have meant weighing whatever draft return Philadelphia could get against the cost of losing an established offensive leader from an offense already going through major changes. Keeping him means the Eagles keep a proven centerpiece while they sort out the rest of the roster, rather than starting over at running back as well as at quarterback.
The decision also narrows the trade market for other teams. With Barkley reportedly off the table, Indianapolis Colts star Jonathan Taylor becomes the most prominent running back name connected to deadline talks, with ESPN reporting that the Colts are now open to moving him. Philadelphia, meanwhile, can still make other moves before Nov. 10, particularly involving players on expiring contracts, but the reporting is clear that Barkley is not one of the players it intends to move.
Barkley is set to play Sunday night
The trade news lands on a night when Philadelphia needs Barkley on the field. He missed two games with a hamstring injury before returning against Dallas on Oct. 26, then dealt with a back injury during Philadelphia’s 38-21 loss to the Cowboys. He missed the next two practice sessions before returning to practice on Friday, and he carries no final injury designation, putting him on track to face Washington.
That availability takes on extra weight given the matchup. The Eagles visit the Commanders at 8:20 p.m. ET on Sunday at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland, on NBC and Peacock, in a rematch of the season opener that Philadelphia won. Washington will be without defensive tackle Daron Payne, who is out for the season with a Jones fracture in his left foot, and fellow defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw, leaving a thin interior for a running back who needs only a crease. Philadelphia will also be without receiver DeVonta Smith on Sunday night, which puts even more of the offensive burden on Barkley and quarterback Tanner McKee, who is starting with Hurts out.
Analysis: a statement about next season, not just this one
This section is analysis, not a report of a new fact. Keeping Barkley is best read as a statement of intent. A 2-5 team on a five-game losing streak, without its starting quarterback for the season, would have had a defensible reason to cash in a 29-year-old running back for future picks. Philadelphia has reportedly chosen the opposite course, betting that its problems are about health and execution this season rather than a roster that needs to be torn down.
That bet is not without risk. Barkley has already missed time this season, and the Eagles are near the bottom of the league in scoring and total offense. But trading him would have removed the one proven playmaker who can still change a game without a perfect blocking scheme or a settled passing attack. For a team trying to stay competitive while its quarterback situation resets, that kind of player is harder to replace than the draft pick he might have fetched, especially with his contract already in place through 2028.
The more immediate test comes Sunday night. If Barkley looks like himself against a depleted Washington front, the decision will look straightforward. If he is limited again, the questions about his health will follow him into the deadline week anyway, even with the trade talk settled.
What to watch next
First, watch Sunday night itself: whether Barkley handles a full workload, and whether Philadelphia can end its five-game losing streak against a divisional rival. Second, watch the Nov. 10 deadline for what Philadelphia does with its other veterans, since keeping Barkley does not mean the Eagles will stand pat. And third, watch how the running-back market moves now that Barkley is reportedly unavailable, with Taylor’s situation in Indianapolis becoming the name to follow.
For more from this week, see our report on Daron Payne’s season-ending injury, our recap of the Cowboys’ 38-21 win over the Eagles, and our report on the Colts’ trades of Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner.
