According to recent reports, New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley will not receive the franchise tag and is going to hit free agency. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the Giants currently plan on using the franchise tag to keep Daniel Jones from reaching the open market. Doing this, of course, would allow superstar runner Saquon Barkley to hit free agency and possibly cash in with a new team.
Saquon Barkley Expected to Hit Free Agency, Could Join New Team
Of course, Saquon Barkley isn’t necessarily going to leave the Giants just because he hits the open market. The Giants find themselves in an unfortunate situation where both their star running back and breakout quarterback are hitting free agency at the same time. While Barkley is much better at his job than Jones is at his, the team has no choice but to prioritize Jones. Quarterback is easily the most important position in the sport, and everyone knows that a league-average starting quarterback will help you win more games than even the best running back in the league.
Barkley shouldn’t take offense to New York’s decision to prioritize the young quarterback, which means that he should be willing to re-sign with the Giants – provided the money makes sense. The legal tampering period officially begins on March 13th, but a lot of contract talks will go down during the NFL Scouting Combine. Both Barkley and the Giants should have a decent idea of the running back’s market at this point in time, which will allow the two sides to hopefully come together on a long-term deal.
Saquon Barkley Touchdown!!! Daniel Bellinger 2 pointer! Giants tie it up! pic.twitter.com/Kl8Kv75roX
— Bobby Skinner (@BobbySkinner_) December 24, 2022
Based on just about every report out there, the Giants and Barkley both want to find a way to make a long-term deal work. However, money talks, and several teams would love to get their hands on arguably the most talented runner in the league. If the Giants can’t make the dollars work, these three teams are the most likely long-term fits.
Three Teams That Could Sign Him
First and foremost are the Buffalo Bills. It’s no secret that this team needs help at the running back position, especially since Devin Singletary is currently set to hit the open market. Singletary is fine for what he is, and James Cook showed some promise as a rookie, but there is no denying that Saquon Barkley would easily be the best running back on the roster. The Bills are right in the midst of their championship window, and the thought of trying to stop both Barkely and Josh Allen on the ground should send fear into the hearts of opposing defenses.
Speaking of the AFC East, the Miami Dolphins might just have the worst running back room in the NFL. With Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson both set to hit free agency, the Dolphins don’t have a single proven rusher on the roster. Adding Barkley to the mix would make perfect sense, as he addresses a major need and creates yet another dangerous weapon to pair with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. On top of that, the Dolphins would probably like to have a stronger run game to minimize the hits Tua Tagovailoa has to take in 2023.
Buffalo and Miami are easily the two favorites, but the Carolina Panthers could also make a run at Saquon Barkley in free agency. The team will invest in a young quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft, and they would probably want to pair that young passer with a reliable running back that can take stress off the quarterback. After all, this is the same team that handed out a massive contract to Christian McCaffrey, so it’s not like they’re opposed to handing out a big check to a running back.
Main Photo: Bill Streicher – USA Today Sports
