The Philadelphia Eagles and running back Saquon Barkley are off to a nice start but not as nice as former Eagles center Jason Kelce would like. Barkley has had advantages in Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore's game plan. Still, Kelce said on the New Heights Podcast that he sees room for improvement regarding the flow of the offense. 

“They got to get him involved earlier, they have to,” Kelce said. “This is one of the downsides with the RPOs (run-pass options). I feel like a lot of the time, you could think you’re calling these run plays but based on the way the reads happen. It just doesn’t end up manifesting, as opposed to just calling a run. I’d like to see them get Saquon dedicated touches earlier to make sure that he’s getting opportunities.”

Barkley has already proved to be the true No. 1 option the Eagles had searched for. He has 351 yards and a league-leading four touchdowns. Also, he has nearly matched his touchdown total from 2023, where he had six. In Barkley's first game, he made Eagles franchise history by scoring three touchdowns in his team debut. While the usage between the New York Giants and the Eagles has been different, there's still untapped potential for Barkley.

How can the Eagles incorporate Saquon Barkley into the offense better?

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The Eagles run a plethora of RPOs through quarterback Jalen Hurts. Although that style of play is best for Hurts, it puts a limit on the Eagles' offense. The best running back Hurts played with, from a production standpoint was D'Andre Swift. Now, Philadelphia has one of the most dynamic and explosive running backs in the league. Kelce wants just regular run plays called for the Eagles new running back early in the game to get him going.

Listen, the RPOs didn’t work in the first half, they were really bad, but who knows how that affected them in the second half,” Kelce said. “Maybe they’re still thinking about the RPO, maybe they’re still more hesitant to come downhill because we did do that. The RPOs have been successful in the past for us. I think early on we’ve got to get Saquon the ball a little more. I do believe that.

Barkley is a proven three-down back, who can do so much more than solely be a decoy on an RPO. He's averaging 117 yards per game and recently iced the Eagles Week 3 matchup against the New Orleans Saints. If head coach Nick Sirianni can develop a consistent run game with Barkley at the head of it, this Eagles team can be tough to stop.