Getty The New York Giants could be moving on from running back Saquon Barkley according to a new free agency update.
The New York Giants have remained open to the idea of re-signing superstar running back Saquon Barkley publicly, but how legitimate is their interest?
According to a free agency update from ESPN NYG insider Jordan Raanan on March 8, “it certainly seems the Giants are ready to move on” from Barkley. The reporter added that the G-Men “don’t want to touch anything over $10 million per season” at the running back position — and that’s right around what Barkley is expected to make in 2024.
“‘They just don’t see the value in investing $10 million in a running back,’ one league source told ESPN at last weekend’s NFL scouting combine,” Raanan relayed.
However, he also noted that “the Giants offered Barkley more than [$10 million per season] last year,” voicing that “it’s entirely possible they stretch past their desire again.”
In the end, Raanan settled on it being “unlikely” that Big Blue spend big money to keep their face of the franchise going back to 2018. That would mean a changing of the guard at the running back position.
‘Mutual Interest’ Reported Between Giants RB Saquon Barkley & Eagles
There has been some building momentum behind Barkley joining the NFC East rival Philadelphia Eagles in recent days.
First, 94WIP’s Howard Eskin claimed that the Eagles are interested in signing Barkley.
“I didn’t believe it, but I checked it and they do have interest in Saquon Barkley,” Eskin told the 94WIP Morning Show on March 7. “And I’m saying wait a minute, you can’t pay a running that kind of money.”
“I think they’re trying to work on something that would not be fully guaranteed,” the Eagles sideline reporter explained. Adding: “[Barkley’s] not going to get—a ton of money.”
From there, New York Post reporter Ryan Dunleavy commented that the “interest is mutual” between Barkley and the Eagles, calling it a “real possibility” he ends up in Philadelphia.
A couple of days before on March 5, USA Today NFL reporter Tyler Dragon also listed the Eagles as one of six franchises that are “rumored to have interest in Barkley.”
Giants’ Options to Replace Saquon Barkley in NFL Free Agency
If the Giants aren’t willing to spend on Barkley, they likely aren’t pricing out on Josh Jacobs or Derrick Henry either. So, who might be the starting ball-carrier for Big Blue in 2024?
Raanan highlighted second-tier options Zack Moss, Antonio Gibson, Devin Singletary and Alexander Mattison as free agency candidates for New York. You can also throw former Dallas Cowboys starter Tony Pollard into the mix, assuming his market isn’t higher than anticipated.
Keep in mind that this is a really deep free agency class at running back, so the there are several players that might fit the bargain-buy mold. Including Gus Edwards, AJ Dillon, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Dalvin Cook, D’Onta Foreman, Kareem Hunt, Joshua Kelley and even former bitter rival Ezekiel Elliott.
And we haven’t even begun to discuss NFL draft options yet.
If feels like the Giants will go with a veteran starter here though, considering the abundance of availability. Unlike free agency, the rookie class at running back isn’t loaded in 2024 — so unless NYG general manager Joe Schoen hits on a mid-to-late round flyer, a first-year starter doesn’t feel like a realistic route for replacing Barkley.
Time will tell who leads this offense next fall — both at quarterback and in the backfield.