1. RB Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles
Let’s be honest, there could only be one real major terrifying pick for fans, and that’s the formerly beloved Saquon Barkley. There’s some extra emotion in this one, as we all know Barkley played the entirety of his career with New York, up until joining the Eagles in free agency.
This isn’t saying Schoen was wrong for letting Barkley walk. The Giants didn’t have the capital, and it never made sense for a long-term marriage between the two sides after last season. Still, that doesn’t mean the idea of Barkley becoming his old self again in Philadelphia shouldn’t strike fear into Giants fans.
If Barkley joined say, the Houston Texans or Los Angeles Chargers, he’d have a myriad of supporters left in New York. As it stands, many Giants fans will be rooting for Barkley’s demise (play-wise, not injury-wise), and it’s not as simple as that.
Over his time with the Giants, Barkley never played in an offense that’ll feature as much talent as the Eagles will in 2024. He won’t be asked to run behind a putrid offensive line week-in and week-out. Even without Jason Kelce, the Eagles offensive line is still what the Giants offensive line aspires to be.
Plus, there will be internal motivation for Barkley to run wild against New York at least twice a season. With all the trouble the Giants have already had with the Eagles over the last, well, forever it seems, Philadelphia doesn’t need any added motivation to deliver soul-crushing losses to the Giants. That’s exactly what would happen if Barkley led the Eagles to victory in 2024.
Alas, the Giants made the choice of letting Barkley walk, but him going to the Eagles has changed the narrative. We’ll see where both franchises go from here, but there’s going to be a ton of factors working in Barkley’s favor, and against the Giants, as it pertains to the situation in 2024.