Why the Eagles traded for Tank Bigsby and what Philadelphia is planning for its new RB behind Saquon Barkley

The Philadelphia Eagles‘ roster continues to evolve. The latest proof came this week when they traded for third-year running back Tank Bigsby. In somewhat of a surprising move, they sent fifth- and sixth-round 2026 NFL Draft picks to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

There wasn’t anything wrong with the Eagles’ running back room. Saquon Barkley, fresh off a 2,000-yard season and at the forefront of last year’s No. 2 rushing offense, is the group’s workhorse while Will Shipley and AJ Dillon serve as complementary backups.

Shipley had an impressive training camp, and the Eagles like him as a fourth-round pick from the 2024 NFL Draft. Dillon has added a power punch and depth to the Eagles’ run game, making the Bigsby trade a bit of a head-scratcher on the surface.

So why did the Eagles trade for Bigsby? Here’s a closer look into the line of thinking, along with the Eagles’ plans for Bigsby going forward.

The need to improve on kickoff returns

The NFL implemented the dynamic kickoff in 2024 and made a necessary change this season to promote more returns. To eliminate touchbacks and have more kicks in the designated “landing zone,” the dead ball spot after a touchback moved from the 30-yard line to the 35.

The 5-yard change seems subtle but ended up being a major difference in Week 1 as 75.6% of kickoffs were returned, which is up from 30.2% after the 2024 season’s first week, according to the CBS Sports research department. It is a significant change that promotes kickoff returns and the phase’s impact on the game after just 32.8% of kickoffs were returned throughout the entire 2024 season.

The Eagles weren’t exactly spectacular in kickoff return average last season, ranking 23rd. They sought to improve that this season, trying multiple returners in training camp. They settled on Shipley and Dillon in the season opener against Dallas.

Shipley muffed his first return attempt and ended up at the Eagles’ own 19-yard line, a play in which he was injured. The Eagles announced that Shipley had a rib injury and put John Metchie III back there, and Metchie returned his first attempt to Philadelphia’s own 28-yard line.

After two return attempts, the average starting field position was the 23.5 (yard line). Count the two touchbacks and the Eagles’ average starting field position on kickoff returns was 29.3.

With the percentage of returns going up, starting at the 23- or 24-yard line isn’t ideal. The Eagles want to improve on the kickoff return, which is where Bigsby enters the picture.

Even though Bigsby has returned kicks sporadically, the Eagles view him as an upgrade from the work in progress that they had before. There’s more at play here, given how long Shipley could be out and Ben VanSumeren‘s season-ending patella injury.

Simply put, the Eagles were looking for an upgrade. This is where the 24-year-old Bigsby enters, even though he has just 11 returns in his career. Bigsby had just six returns last season but averaged 32.5 yards per return (the league average was 27.6).

The Eagles want to change the game and get ahead of the dynamic kickoff return, much like the Dallas Cowboys (KaVontae Turpin), Tennessee Titans (Chimere Dike) and New York Jets (Xavier Gipson) do.

There was a need for a kickoff returner. The dynamic kickoff isn’t going anywhere.

The RB depth chart

The Eagles have a strong running back tandem with Barkley, Shipley and Dillon. Barkley gets the overwhelming majority of the carries, as he should, and is the reigning Offensive Player of the Year. The Eagles’ offense is predicated on the run game, and Barkley’s impact opens everything else up.

Of course, Shipley’s status complicates things. How long is he out for and how does it affect the running back depth chart? For the Eagles, the least-ideal scenario is to have Dillon as Barkley’s primary backup for however long Shipley is out. The Eagles also have Audric Estime on the practice squad, but he just signed less than two weeks ago. Would Estime be ready enough to play, even in a limited role?

Bigsby is far from a good pass blocker, but he provides credibility running the football. He had 766 rushing yards and seven touchdowns last season while averaging 4.6 yards per carry. The Jaguars could afford to move on, as they liked Travis Etienne and their two rookie running backs — Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen.

Make no mistake — Bigsby is the No. 2 running back behind Barkley, especially if Shipley has to miss time.

The Eagles also have to consider the position’s long-term future. Barkley is signed for the next three seasons — his two-year, $41.2 million contract has kicked in (with guaranteed option bonuses in 2026 and 2027). The Eagles need to be cost efficient at running back behind Barkley, which is where Bigsby and Shipley come in.

Bigsby is under contract for the next two seasons while Shipley is on Year 2 of his rookie deal. The Eagles are basically paying $2.97 million for Shipley and Bigsby for the 2026 season, so the position is set (Dillon is on a one-year deal for 2025).

The Eagles were looking for cost control at running back and got exactly that with Bigsby, a player who will be a vital part of their offense and return game over the next two seasons.

Parting ways with a pair of Day 3 picks in 2026 was worth the investment, especially since the Eagles still have a projected 10 picks coming next offseason.