While the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers prepare for the Super Bowl, the other 30 teams are looking toward the upcoming offseason. Saquon Barkley is one of the best running backs set to hit free agency and could earn a big payday in the coming months. Recently, the former second-overall pick discussed if that opportunity could come from a team that isn’t the New York Giants.
Since the Giants selected Saquon Barkley in 2018, the Penn State product has been the featured back in the offense. While he has battled injuries over the years, he’s been nothing but electric since entering the league. Over the past six seasons, the two-time Pro Bowler has accumulated 5,211 rushing yards and 35 touchdowns on 1,201 attempts to go along with 288 receptions for 2,100 yards and 12 touchdowns.
The Giants used the franchise tag to keep Saquon Barkley around for the 2022 season, but they might not do it again. This time, the running back could hit unrestricted free agency, and he’s not going to take a hometown discount.
“Up until [the moment I received the franchise tag], I really believe I was gonna finish my career as a New York Giant. You know, that was a goal of mine. And that’s still in play…once you get to this point, you go to contract negotiation and you go through the tag process, you realize how much of a business this is. And I remember vets always telling me this and you know I believed them, but you don’t really know something until you go through it. So could I see myself in another uniform? Yeah, it’s possible.”
Saquon Barkley On Free Agency: “I Can See Myself In Another Uniform”
From the sounds of it, the franchise tag situation from last year shattered Barkley’s illusion of the NFL. Even though he is one of the best players on his team, the NFL is a business, and Saquon Barkley knows he needs to make his long-term financial well-being his top priority. He will return to the Giants if they make the best offer, but he’s not taking a discount.
Frankly, it’s hard to see a world where the Giants outbid the competition. In today’s day and age, running backs are a luxury position, and only contenders can justify spending large on a relatively unimportant position. The Giants are not contenders, as they finished the year with a 6-11 record and are probably entering another rebuild. Saquon Barkley is entering his age-27 season, which means he probably only has one or two years of high-level play left in his tank.
Possible Free Agent Fits
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys believe in the power of the running game, and 2023 proved that Tony Pollard is not built to withstand a three-down workload. Mike McCarthy needs to lead a deep postseason run if he wants to keep his job, and having Saquon Barkley lead an improved running game should help increase their odds of making it to the NFC Championship Game for the first time since the 1990s.
Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Mixon will probably be a running back cap casualty, which means that the Bengals are going to have to find a new starting running back. Saquon Barkley won’t come cheap, but he’s a clear upgrade on the present-day version of Mixon. Chances are, Barkley and Mixon will account for similar cap hits, but Barkley is far more capable of making runners miss in the open field and making plays in the passing game.
Baltimore Ravens
Right now, nobody knows who the Baltimore Ravens starting running back will be next year. Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins are both free agents and while Edwards could come back on the cheap, he’s better off as a backup. Dobbins, meanwhile, is coming off yet another serious injury and might not ever find his old burst. Saquon Barkley can be deadly in any offense, but combining him with Lamar Jackson and Baltimore’s offensive line would create a near-unstoppable rushing attack.
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings entered 2023 believing that Alexander Mattison could be a reliable starting running back. They were wrong. The former third-round pick crashed and burned when allowed to handle starting duties, and they’ll need to get an upgrade in free agency. If Kirk Cousins comes back, Minnesota should be considered Super Bowl contenders, and they’ll need a running back like Saquon Barkley to establish a credible ground game.
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are not contenders, but they are the type of team that could throw money at a running back. Case in point: they did it last year with Miles Sanders. That decision didn’t work out, but Saquon Barkley is a much better player than Sanders. If they organization believes a running back can help a young quarterback, then they’d probably be willing to pay up for top talent. First-year general manager Dan Morgan was a part of Carolina’s front office when they signed Sanders, so it stands to reason he believes that running backs still matter in today’s NFL.
Main Photo: Vincent Carchietta – USA Today Sports
