Saquon Barkley leaving the NY Giants to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles is a topic of conversation that's going to stay hot for a while. Signing with the enemy? What in the world were you thinking, Saquon?! This still stings for Big Blue supporters.
This season, plenty of people are going to be ready to head to MetLife when the G-Men host Philly, so they can boo Barkley with all the passion they've got. However, maybe it's time for people to get over it and take a look at things from Barkley's point of view? That's what team great Brandon Jacobs has in mind, as he told Pat Leonard that he is fully supportive of Barkley making the move to join the Eagles and Jalen Hurts.
#Giants legend Brandon Jacobs on Saquon Barkley signing with the Philadelphia #Eagles: “I loved it. The guy gave the Giants a lot from the time he was drafted. He did everything they asked him to do.
— Pat Leonard (@PLeonardNYDN) May 15, 2024
“He wanted to be in New York. he wanted to play with the Giants. He didn’t want… pic.twitter.com/Rd3Z0DEl56
Brandon Jacobs is backing Saquon Barkley after he signed with the Eagles
"He wanted to be in New York. he wanted to play with the Giants. He didn’t want to leave. That’s just what it is. So he ended up having an opportunity to get $12.5 million [per year] from our rival right down the street. I mean it sucks, but I’m happy for him. Because he deserved to make every dollar he could possibly make, because he’s put the hard work and dedication in to be able to do that."Brandon Jacobs
Part of us wants to be furious with Barkley, but negotiations didn't go smoothly between him and general manager Joe Schoen. The hope was that they'd get something done during the 2022 season, but nothing happened. Then last offseason, Schoen placed Barkley on the non-exclusive franchise tag.
Nothing but drama followed that announcement, with Barkley skipping workouts, while also leaving the door open to sit out some games. That didn't happen, but it was clear that the relationship was a bit fractured.
Once he hit free agency, several teams showed interest, but Philly put $37.75 million on the table, something the Giants were never going to match. We just have to accept the fact that he's now with the Eagles. As Jacobs noted, Barkley gave everything he could for the organization, but his 'Giant for life' wish just wasn't meant to be.