Eagles acquire RB Tank Bigsby from Jaguars, expect him to back up Saquon Barkley after Shipley injury
Philadelphia sent 2026 fifth- and sixth-round picks to Jacksonville for the third-year rusher as the defending champions adjust depth ahead of a Week 2 Super Bowl rematch with Kansas City.
The Philadelphia Eagles acquired running back Tank Bigsby from the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday, sending a fifth- and sixth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to Jacksonville, according to multiple reports. Bigsby is expected to serve as the backup to Saquon Barkley after Will Shipley, who filled that role in Week 1, left the opener with a rib injury.
Shipley departed the Eagles’ 24-20 season-opening victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night with a ribs issue, and the team did not immediately provide an injury timeline. The trade gives Philadelphia a veteran depth option behind Barkley as it defends its Super Bowl title.
Bigsby, 23, is in his third NFL season after being selected out of Auburn in the third round of the 2023 draft. He split carries with Travis Etienne in Jacksonville last season, rushing for 766 yards and seven touchdowns in 16 games. In Jacksonville’s Week 1 win over Carolina this season, Bigsby had five carries for 12 yards as Etienne handled the bulk of the work.
Etienne opened the season with a 143-yard performance, including a 71-yard run. Jaguars coach Liam Coen praised Etienne’s burst after the game, saying, “You could feel him all day. You definitely felt him being a little bit — having a little bit more burst maybe than other guys on the grass. He looked fresh. He looked fast. He took care of the football.”
Jacksonville added Virginia Tech back Bhayshul Tuten in the fourth round of this year’s draft, and the Jaguars could move Tuten into a more prominent backup role following the trade. The move allows Jacksonville to concentrate its running-game depth around Etienne and younger players on the depth chart.
The Eagles, meanwhile, moved quickly to ensure they have a known quantity behind Barkley after opening the season with Shipley in a reserve role. Philadelphia’s rushing outlook will be monitored closely ahead of a Week 2 rematch with the Kansas City Chiefs, who defeated the Eagles in the prior season’s Super Bowl.
Bigsby could be available to make his Eagles debut in that rematch, depending on when the trade is finalized and how the team integrates him into its offense. The Eagles’ coaching staff and personnel department will evaluate his role in practices this week as the team prepares for Kansas City.
The trade is the latest roster adjustment by a team defending a championship that has shuffled depth across its roster during the offseason and early regular season. Philadelphia’s front office has prioritized maintaining a multi-dimensional offense behind quarterback Jalen Hurts, and the addition of Bigsby provides another experienced runner who has operated in a complementary backfield role.
The Jaguars and Eagles did not immediately release statements detailing the trade terms. NFL teams typically finalize trades with medical clearances and league approval before players can be activated in their new cities, a process that could affect Bigsby’s availability for game action this week.