Eagles pocket book: Saquon's appreciation for Jacobs, Covey's position and extra

Eagles notebook: Saquon’s appreciation for Jacobs, Covey’s role and more initially appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Saquon Barkley was clearly thrilled this offseason when he signed a close to top-of-the-market deal to affix the Eagles.

He was actually blissful when Josh Jacobs received paid too.

“Yeah, for certain,” Barkley mentioned this week. “After we each had been getting tagged, we had conversations. We had talks. I feel he received what he deserves and to be trustworthy, I feel he deserves much more. He’s a heck of a participant. Hopefully, him, myself, all the opposite backs can proceed to remain wholesome and play properly and simply diminish that notion that backs shouldn’t receives a commission.”

Barkley and Jacobs will start the second chapters of their respective careers on Friday night time in São Paulo when the Eagles play host to the Packers. Barkley and Jacobs are on completely different groups however they had been form of on the identical staff final 12 months: Staff Get the Operating Backs Paid.

Each Barkley and Jacobs performed the 2023 season on a franchise tag — Barkley with the Giants and Jacobs with the Raiders — after which each had down seasons by their very own excessive requirements.

Buts nonetheless each received paid.

Barkley signed a three-year, $37.75 million deal ($12.58 million per season) with the Eagles and Jacobs signed a four-year, $48 million deal ($12 million per season) with the Packers. These contracts put the pair of two-time Professional Bowlers among the many high 5 of highest-paid operating backs within the NFL by APY.

There’s now doubt that Barkley has an appreciation for Jacobs’ recreation.

“Yeah, huge fan of Josh. Actually huge fan of Josh, truly,” Barkley mentioned. “I really like watching backs. Josh Jacobs is one in all my favourite backs to look at. I feel he’s a very good again, he runs the ball actually exhausting. He presents a tricky problem for our protection. However that’s what our job was this offseason, going in opposition to guys like me, Kenny (Gainwell) and Will (Shipley) and Ty (Davis-Worth) each single day.

“I feel we gotta be locked in and prepared as a result of he’s positively going to be a focus of the offense and he can take over a recreation. He’s positively any individual we’ve received to have the ability to cease.”

Covey’s position within the locker room

For the final two seasons, Britain Covey has been a well-liked man within the Eagles’ locker room and within the receiver assembly room. A part of his position is to lighten the temper and he does that with aplomb.

Star receiver DeVonta Smith just lately handed out an enormous praise to Covey.

“He’s the sunshine of the room,” Smith mentioned. “Within the room, he’s at all times the man preserving the spirits up, regardless of if anyone is having a nasty day, he’s going to be the man to guarantee that all people within the room is having enjoyable. Whoever it’s who could also be down a day, he doesn’t proceed to allow them to really feel that means.”

From the skin, Smith and Covey are very completely different. One was a Heisman Trophy winner and early first-round decide. The opposite was an undrafted rookie a couple of years in the past and at last made the 53-man roster out of coaching camp for the primary time in 2024.

However Smith and Covey are shut. Apart from each being fathers to younger kids, they’re two of the smallest gamers on the staff. They joke about that so much.

“He most likely weighs somewhat greater than me so I contemplate myself the smallest man,” Smith mentioned.

Away from New York

Barkley spent the primary six years of his profession with the Giants, operating behind loads of subpar offensive strains.

So even one of many guys who was blocking for him in New York was thrilled when he heard Barkley was leaving for (actually) greener pastures.

“I used to be so blissful for him,” offensive lineman Nick Gates mentioned. “I used to be like, ‘Lastly now he has an excellent offensive line’ and good guys he can run behind.”

Meaning much more coming from a man who began 29 video games for the Giants at guard and heart from 2019-23. Even Gates, who’s on the Eagles’ observe squad, is aware of how a lot better this offensive line must be than those Barkley ran behind earlier than.

Barkley was a two-time Professional Bowler with the Giants and regardless of being the point of interest of the offense, has had some actually nice seasons.

“Saquon is superior to dam for,” Gates mentioned. “You give him only a tiny gap and he can hit it and he may be out the entrance door and be gone. Even when you mess up a play, he can flip it into an enormous play for you. It’s superior. I really like blocking for Saquon and I really like Saquon as a human and an individual. He’s an excellent teammate too. He’s an superior participant.”

A assured BVS

Final Tuesday, Ben VanSumeren’s cellphone by no means rang. He by no means anticipated it to.

And that’s how he discovered he made the Eagles’ 53-man roster.

“I didn’t get the decision to return in in order that’s actually what it was,” VanSumeren mentioned. “I figured that and I used to be assured going into the day that I wouldn’t be getting any calls. It was only a chill day.”

Final 12 months, VanSumeren was waived at closing cuts as an undrafted rookie out of Michigan State. However finally he labored his means up from the observe squad, performed in 9 video games and have become a particular groups ace.

He was far more assured about his standing coming into this 12 months’s cut-down day.

“It was a unique feeling than final 12 months for certain,” VanSumeren mentioned. “Simply really feel such as you get assured in your position and the place you slot in on the staff. This 12 months was completely different than final as a result of I felt like I might perceive that extra and the best way that I performed by means of coaching camp and this offseason, I really feel like was completely different extra so than final 12 months. I really feel rather more superior than I used to be final 12 months this time.”

The Eagles have actually shaken up their linebacker room from final season however there are many gamers forward of VanSumeren on the depth chart. Meaning his position — for the second straight 12 months — goes to be taking part in particular groups.

It’s a job he relishes.

“If there’s a play that I don’t make on particular groups, I really feel like that’s on me,” he mentioned. “I really feel like I ought to make each play on particular groups. That’s my mindset with it. I’ve been taking part in particular groups for some time and I wish to excel and be seen as probably the greatest across the league in that position.”

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