REPORT: New York Giants Running Back Saquon Barkley Can See Himself Elsewhere in 2024; Potential Landing Spots

New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley originally saw himself remaining a Giant for the entirety of his NFL career, but he can now see himself moving on from the organization.

In an article from Complex, Barkley explains that he can see himself wearing a different uniform.

“Yeah, I mean it never crossed my mind until last year after I got tagged. Up until that moment, I really believe that I was gonna finish my career as a New York Giant. You know, that was a goal of mine. And that’s still in play. I have so much respect for the Mara family and the Tisch family and everyone in the Giants organization,” Barkley said.

“They know that but once you get to this point, you go to your contract negotiation and you go through the tag process, you realize how much of a business it is. And I remember vets always telling me this and you know I believed them, but you don’t really know something until you go through it. So could I see myself in another uniform? Yeah, it’s possible.”

The New York Giants still have the option to tag Barkley for another year. Alternatively, they could re-sign the star running back. If they decide to pass on either of those two options, Barkley will have the opportunity to test the free agent market.

New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley’s draft spot was highly contentious

Barkley’s rookie year with the New York Giants was arguably his best. He was the second-overall pick in the 2018 draft, and he was a controversial one at that. Many thought spending such a high pick on a running back was a waste. The selection of Barkley is still a matter of debate among Giants fans.

• Saquon Barkley was the right pick at number 2 overall
• He is becoming a team leader right before our very eyes
• Should win #NFL Rookie of the Year
• On his way to becoming best running back in NFL

Saquon Barkley 👀 #GiantsPridehttps://t.co/79J5Rnwdu2

— Giants Fans Online (@NYGFansOnline) December 9, 2018

Should the NY Giants have drafted a QB instead of RB Saquon Barkley at number 2 overall? pic.twitter.com/bpSEzjWsdO

— Enrique Marin (@emarin671) September 14, 2018

The Giants look even more stupid for taking Barkley number 2 overall now. Funny how life works.

— Will (@Willmatic559) March 13, 2019

They chose the right guy

— Benito (@Benito2325) September 14, 2018

The Giants have struggled at the quarterback position since the drafting of Barkley. They passed on two consistent playoff quarterbacks to draft Barkley, one of which is in this year’s AFC Championship game.

The Giants took Barkley at the No. 2 spot, but Buffalo Bills star quarterback Josh Allen was still on the board. Allen has become one of the most prolific quarterbacks in the NFL, and has had the Bills in contention for deep playoff runs consistently.

The Giants also passed on Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. Jackson was selected 32nd overall, so the Giants weren’t the only team to make the mistake of passing on him. Jackson now has a strong case for his second MVP, and a solid chance at winning a Super Bowl this year.

Potential Landing Spots for New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley

One potential landing spot for New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley is the Dallas Cowboys. Former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew said on the NFL’s website that Barkley could help Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott take the next step in 2024.

Dallas learned the hard way that it can’t solely rely on Dak Prescott and the passing attack. This offense needs a run game to wear defenses down and keep opponents honest. Barkley is an explosive, multi-faceted threat out of the backfield.

The Cowboys did not see the production they would’ve liked from running back Tony Pollard after moving on from longtime star Ezekiel Elliott. Pollard barely eclipsed 1,000 yards, and had just six touchdowns this year.

Another landing spot for New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley is the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens No. 1 running back J.K. Dobbins is coming off of an achilles injury and will be a free agent. Another late star running back for the Ravens, Keaton Mitchell, suffered a gruesome injury and was out for the season as well.

Holy shit… Keaton Mitchell’s knee injury was awful. Wishing him a speedy recovery 🙏 pic.twitter.com/llDtD27pbk

— Bussin’ With The Boys (@BussinWTB) December 18, 2023

Barkley could also end up with the Houston Texans. The emerging rookie head coach and rookie quarterback took the Texans past the first round in the playoffs this year with a lackluster rushing attack. Devin Singletary became the main back by the end of this year, and he did not achieve 900 yards rushing.

The Texans are at the beginning of their rookie quarterback window, which means they will have cap opportunities that most teams with star QBs would not have.

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