Oh, great, the Saquon Barkley trade rumors are back - like they never left! As things stand, No. 26 and the NY Giants are in a bit of a standstill due to his contract issues. The G-Men placed Barkley on the non-exclusive franchise tag, which he's not happy about.
With Joe Schoen putting a multi-year offer on the table several times only to have Barkley turn things down, no one knows how this dance is going to end. There are plenty of Big Blue fans who are worried Barkley could be a camp holdout.
Because of the uncertainty surrounding Barkley's future with the Giants, trade speculation has popped up again. In a new piece for Bleacher Report, writer Alex Bellentine listed Barkley among the surprise trade ideas the Chicago Bears should pursue before the new campaign arrives.
Saquon Barkley mentioned as potential Chicago Bears trade target
"The Giants and the running back still have yet to iron out a long-term agreement. Right now, the 26-year-old is set to play on the tag this season and the clock is ticking. They have until July 17 to strike a deal, and Barkley has yet to sign his franchise tag tender so he's not at OTAs right now. A trade for Barkley would give the Bears one of the best groups of talent around their quarterback in the league. If they could do it for less than what the Niners gave up to get Christian McCaffrey (four picks), it's a move worth exploring."Alex Bellentine
Yes, in a dream world for Bears fans, Barkley would make his way to The Windy City to make plays alongside Justin Fields and others. However, there's just no way that Schoen can even think about letting Barkley suit up for a different squad.
After going 9-7-1 last year, the Giants are ready to try and make even more noise in 2023. All the offseason additions on both sides of the ball have people jacked up for the future. However, the worry is still there surrounding this whole Saquon drama.
Barkley is the best playmaker this team has and the thought of Week 1 arriving and him not being out there for Sunday Night Football is something no one wants to think about. Schoen and Barkley need to get back to the negotiating table ASAP and come to terms. Oh and as for the Bears - no chance anything happens here.