Why Eagles’ 2026 Scheme Shift Has Much Deeper Roots With Saquon Barkley Involved

Because the passing game always dominates the conversation in Philadelphia, the running game adjustments last season flew largely under the radar.

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

PHILADELPHIA — Lost amid the buzz surrounding the Eagles’ full embrace of the trendy Shanahan-McVay offensive style in 2026 is a key detail: Nick Sirianni already began pulling many of the same levers in the 2025 season as a direct response to offensive struggles.

It was never a complete schematic overhaul. Most of the midseason tweaks were targeted fixes for a running game that, after a historic 2024 campaign, had predictably regressed — and to an unacceptable level. 

Because the passing game always dominates the conversation in Philadelphia, the running game adjustments flew largely under the radar. 

The plot was lost.

In many ways, the modern NFL is a textbook example of pendulum theory: systems swing toward extremes, then eventually reverse course back toward the middle. 

The Eagles rode a shotgun-heavy offense to tremendous success, leveraging one of the league’s best offensive lines and the dual-threat “plus-one” impact of quarterback Jalen Hurts.

After winning Super Bowl LIX, the rest of the league sold out to stop Offensive Player of the Year Saquon Barkley. That job became easier with Barkley frequently aligned in the shotgun, an alignment that naturally limits a running back’s options and vision. 

The timing was magnified, as Hurts’ own plus-one impact diminished dramatically around the same period.

The Eagles repeatedly lamented about unscouted defensive looks. In response, Sirianni’s in-season adjustments were primarily designed to help that struggling ground game. 

Those changes created friction with longtime offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland, contributing to his departure this offseason. But they also produced results.

All four of Barkley’s 100-yard rushing games in 2025 came after the tweaks, and his yards per carry climbed from a dismal 3.3 through the first seven games to 4.1 by season’s end.

Embracing Change

Eagles QB Jalen Hurts speaks after an OTA practice on May 27, 2026. | John McMullen/Eagles On SI

Hurts, however, was less enthusiastic about implementing the changes without adequate practice time. It showed: he posted a net negative EPA of minus-10 during the final nine games of the regular season, according to Next Gen Stats.

This summer, the Eagles are banking on that missing ingredient — time on task. 

With a full training camp and a new offensive staff experienced in the scheme (notably offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, running game coordinator Ryan Mahaffey, and OL coach Cris Kuper), the organization hopes for smoother integration.

From that vantage point, Hurts has been far more receptive to the evolution.

“The comfort comes with the repetition,” Hurts said this spring. “The comfort comes with the teaching and the time on task to what you’re doing.”

The QB1 insists he remains “open to growth” — provided the team actually prepares for it.

“I’m always open to improving,” Hurts added. “A lot of it is whether we put our time on task. What are we exhausting? What are we repping? I’m looking forward to seeing how training camp goes.”