94WIP's Howard Eskin says the Philadelphia Eagles are indeed interested in soon-to-be star free-agent running back Saquon Barkley.
"I didn't believe it, but I checked it and they do have interest in Saquon Barkley," Eskin told the 94WIP Morning Show on Thursday. "And I'm saying wait a minute, you can't pay a running that kind of money.
"I think they're trying to work on something that would not be fully guaranteed. He's not going to get—a ton of money."
The interest is "mutual" and Saquon Barkley to the Eagles is a "real possibility," NY Post NFL reporter Ryan Dunleavy adds.
Earlier this week, Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News listed six potential suitors for Barkley and included the Eagles.
Barkley, a two-time Pro Bowl running back, has three 1,000-plus rushing yard seasons and has 40-plus balls in every season he has been healthy, including three 50-plus catch seasons and a 91-catch rookie season.
Barkley battled through a Week 2 ankle sprain last season, playing 14 games. Contrary to popular belief, he has played 13-plus games in all of his six NFL seasons except one, 2020 when he tore his ACL.
Swift, 25, has a solid 195 catches in four NFL seasons, 48.75 per season. He caught 39 passes in his first season an Eagle for 214 yards and one touchdown.
"Here's what I think they're looking for, a running back that can also catch the football," Eskin said. "Swift wasn't the receiver that they like with the way—and I would think that Kellen Moore is going to be in the same boat, the same classroom of having a running back who can catch the football and that's what Barkley can do. The thing you have to worry about is, he's been hurt the last few years so you have to figure out something with guarantees and something with the contract.
"Playing in Philadelphia is probably a little bit intriguing for him."
Eskin says the Eagles are likely to move on from Swift, a Philadelphia native, after just one season.
"One of the reasons they will move on from him, they're going to get at least a fourth round pick, maybe a third, in compensation," Eskin said. "But not signing him you're going to get another draft pick year."
Barkley, who just turned 27, had a base salary of just over $8 million last season. In 2023, the Eagles paid their four running backs in Swift, Boston Scott, Kenneth Gainwell, and Rashaad Penny less than $6 million combined.
In 14 games last season, Barkley recorded 962 yards and six touchdowns on the ground and caught 41 balls, for 280 yards and four touchdowns through the air on an injury-riddled 6-11 Giants team.
The NFL legal tampering period begins on Monday, March 11th. The NFL 2024 league year officially begins on Wednesday, March 13th at 4pm E.T. 94WIP will be live from MaGerk's in Horsham all day for the Birds Town Hall that day.