The New York Giants are entering a vast offseason after a very underwhelming season, and they may lose star running back Saquon Barkley in free agency next week.
Barkley has been rumored to many teams, but one team that stood out is the Philadelphia Eagles.
Tiki Barber Made A Bold Statement
The Giants and Eagles are division rivals, and former Giants running back Tiki Barber made a big statement on his WFAN radio show on Thursday about how he feels if Barkley would join the Eagles.
Barber stated, “Barkley even wanting to play for that team in Philadelphia is insulting to his Giant’s history and legacy.”
.@TikiBarber has a warning for Saquon Barkley after rumors swirl of interest in playing for the Philadelphia Eagles pic.twitter.com/ZJVs7XIJNF
— WFAN Sports Radio (@WFAN660) March 7, 2024
Barber spent all of his ten NFL seasons in a Giants uniform. He knows all about the Giants—Eagles rivalry and how that would impact Barkley if he were to head to the city of Brotherly Love.
Barber also stated that Giants general manager Joe Schoen has been having conversations with Barkley, but it doesn’t seem like it will work out.
Barber also mentioned that Giants fans still want to be happy for Barkley. If he were to end up on a team like Houston and win a Super Bowl, Giants fans would be very happy for him, but if he joined the Eagles, all of that happiness and desire to see Barkley do well would go away.
Many fans will never be able to stomach leaving your team and joining that team’s biggest rival, and Barber is entirely correct here.
The New York Giants And Barkley Are On Two Different Paths
It doesn’t make sense for the Giants and Barkley to agree on a contract. The Giants are in rebuild mode. They have to figure out if Daniel Jones can be their quarterback moving forward, and if not, then who will? Barkley has only a few years left in the NFL as a running back, and with his injury history, he could be done at any moment. He needs to capitalize on that opportunity right now.
Barkley is in the same boat as Christian McCaffrey, who was on a bad Carolina Panthers team two years ago. The San Francisco 49ers traded for him and helped turn the team into a legit Super Bowl contender. A playoff team that needs that upgrade in the running back room could sign Barkley and do the same thing that McCaffrey was able to do for the 49ers.
It does seem like Barkley’s time in a Giants jersey has ended, and hopefully, for Giants fans, he doesn’t end up a few hours away with Eagles wings on his next uniform.