6 teams have already emerged as Saquon Barkley threats for the NY Giants
Will Saquon Barkley end up signing elsewhere?
That didn't take long. Ahead of the franchise tag deadline, countless headlines were made when it was reported that the NY Giants are letting Saquon Barkley test the free-agent market. The two-time Pro Bowler is bound to receive a ton of interest.
According to Pat Leonard, some top potential destinations have already been identified. Leonard is reporting that the Houston Texans, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears, New England Patriots AND Las Vegas Raiders are now teams to watch in the Barkley sweepstakes:
Sources view the Baltimore Ravens, Las Vegas Raiders, Chicago Bears, New England Patriots, Houston Texans & Philadelphia Eagles as some primary potential suitors who have the resources, need & interest to possibly sign Saquon Barkley. Stay tuned! https://t.co/OHcXVUDytZ
— Pat Leonard (@PLeonardNYDN) March 5, 2024
Saquon Barkley could still end up signing with the NY Giants in free agency
Seeing all these teams listed a handful of hours after the tag announcement isn't a stunner at all. Barkley is considered the top running back for free agency and he's going to be chasing top dollar. The Giants want to bring him back and Barkley reportedly still wants to return to East Rutherford.
However, Joe Schoen is hesitant in overspending on the superstar RB. Will any of the other teams mentioned above be willing to break the bank to make Barkley happy? All the teams Leonard listed make a ton of sense.
Over the past few weeks, there's been growing speculation that Barkley could favor a move to Houston, as insider Aaron Wilson said at the NFL Combine that the Texans would be his No. 1 choice if he were to leave New York.
What about the Ravens? Could you imagine Barkley joining an offense that already features MVP Lamar Jackson and standout tight end Mark Andrews? Baltimore has a Super Bowl on their mind for the future and they want to find a way to silence the Chiefs. Signing Barkley could help them get that job done.
Around the corner, free agency will get started and we'll find out where Barkley will end up. Again, there's a chance we could see him return to the Giants on a multi-year deal, but the feeling is he'll be on his way out. If that happens, Houston, Baltimore or someone else will need to make a splash with the first offer they send his way.
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