Giants fans nightmare could become reality with potential Saquon Barkley suitor

The New York Giants opted against placing the franchise tag on Saquon Barkley this offseason, and did not sign their star running back to a long-term deal. This means Barkley is free to sign with any suitor he pleases.

While Barkley is not the shiny toy out of Penn State he once was, he remains a top-tier running back in the NFL when healthy. Last season, Barkley saw a slight sip in production, as he ran for 962 yards in 14 games. Perhaps the most concerning mark for Barkley was that his yards-per-carry dipped under four for the first time since 2021, when he missed a quarter of the season.

New York is taking a risk by letting Barkley reach this point, as he seems likely to leave the Giants altogether despite suggesting that he'd prefer to remain in the Big Apple for his entire career. Running backs may be a dime a dozen these days, but Barkley is not most running backs.

Can the Giants afford to lose Saquon Barkley? Where might he sign?

The Giants offense lacks explosiveness and talent at the skill positions, and Daniel Jones is coming off major injury. Losing Barkley could end in disaster if the Giants don't replace him correctly, and add talent around Jones.

Even worse for the Giants is one of Barkley's rumored destinations. With the running back market in flux, could Barkley sign with New York's arch-rival? Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports reported that Barkley is of interest to the Eagles front office.

"But several NFL sources believe Roseman might take a swing at Saquon Barkley, who could be a huge boost to the Eagles offense as both a running back and receiver. He won't go crazy with a contract, but he could swoop in if Barkley's market isn't as robust as he hopes," Vacchiano wrote.

The Eagles still prefer to bring back D'Andre Swift, but if they fail to do so they'll move on to either Barkley or Austin Ekeler, if available.

Should Barkley stay in the NFC East, Giants fans surely hope it's in New York. Philadelphia has won four of the last five games against the Giants, including once in the 2022 NFC Postseason.