Saquon Barkley rumors: 5 best fits in free agency

Top Free Agent Fits For Saquon Barkley – New York Giants

Barkley has already indicated his preference to stay in New York and the Giants should be more than willing to oblige. New head coach Brian Daboll got the most out of Barkley in 2022 and realizes the importance he has to what they want to do on offense.

Negotiating a deal with Barkley, who is seeking to be paid among the top running backs in the league, could be complicated since the Giants also need to find a way to keep starting quarterback Daniel Jones in the fold. Jones’ strong season has increased his contract demands to the point that New York may use the franchise tag on him, which would swallow up a lot of their available cap space.

There are plenty of options on the market to replace Barkley that could be more cost-effective but no one has the type of upside that he does. Star power is also important in the New York market and Barkley is one of the few marketable stars that the Giants have right now, so letting him go would be a tough sell to a passionate fan base.

If the Giants are able to solve Jones’ contract situation there is a good possibility they use the franchise tag on Barkley to avoid letting him test the open market. The tag would likely be a placeholder to ensure Barkley is attached to the team while they extend their negotiation window with him.