The New York Giants and RB Saquon Barkley were unable to come to an agreement on a new contract before 2023. That resulted in the RB playing on the franchise tag for this past season, something we could see happen again. He played on a one-year deal worth around $10 million plus a bonus and incentives. Tagging Barkley again gives the Giants one more year as a reasonable price. Barkley may not want that and could force a trade, hold out, or opt to go to free agency. Barkley’s best path to getting paid may be on the open market.
Barkley, 27, has a well-known history of injuries. That has been a big reason the Giants are hesitant to give Barkley a long-term deal. Barkley’s numbers over his first six NFL seasons are fine. It’s inconsistency and the injuries that give you pause. New York can see what it has in RB Eric Gray while either signing a cheaper back or drafting someone. These are all better avenues than signing Barkley for 2-3 seasons (or more).
Let’s take a look at odds for Barkley’s next team in the 2024 NFL offseason.
Saquon Barkley 2024 team odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Team | Odds |
| NY Giants | -150 |
| HOU Texans | +275 |
| LA Chargers | +400 |
| CHI Bears | +1600 |
| PHI Eagles | +1800 |
| BAL Ravens | +2200 |
| MIN Vikings | +2200 |
| DAL Cowboys | +2500 |
| LV Raiders | +4000 |
| CIN Bengals | +4000 |
| TEN Titans | +4000 |
| GB Packers | +5000 |
| CAR Panthers | +5000 |
| BUF Bills | +5000 |
| WAS Commanders | +5000 |
| NE Patriots | +5000 |
| LA Rams | +7500 |
| ARI Cardinals | +7500 |
| PIT Steelers | +7500 |
| NY Jets | +7500 |
| MIA Dolphins | +10000 |
| KC Chiefs | +10000 |
| JAX Jaguars | +10000 |
| IND Colts | +10000 |
| DET Lions | +10000 |
| DEN Broncos | +10000 |
| CLE Browns | +10000 |
| ATL Falcons | +10000 |
| TB Buccaneers | +10000 |
| SF 49ers | +10000 |
| SEA Seahawks | +10000 |
| NO Saints | +10000 |
The Giants are favorites to bring back Barkley due to the franchise tag. It would be interesting to see what happens if the Giants tag Barkley again. Would it strain the situation? Would he hold out or force a trade? These are all scenarios, along with Barkley going to free agency. There are two teams ahead of the pack who could be interested and land Barkley this offseason: the Houston Texans and Los Angeles Chargers.
The Texans have QB C.J. Stroud on a rookie deal for a few more seasons. So that means now is the time to pay in free agency to go all-in and compete in the AFC. The Texans made the playoffs and could add a few more pieces in free agency to jump into the elite teams in the conference. Adding Barkley would certainly give the Texans another dynamic in the backfield with Dameon Pierce, who could still bounce back. RB Devin Singletary could command more money after he carried Houston’s backfield this season. So he may not be retained. The Texans can pay Barkley for the remainder of Stroud’s rookie deal and it could give them one of the best offenses in the NFL.
The Chargers are in a similar boat. You have QB Justin Herbert and new head coach Jim Harbaugh. The expectation should be to compete right out the gate. The Chargers need upgrades at wide receiver but should let RB Austin Ekeler walk and look for a replacement. Barkley could be a good option. He’s a solid pass-catcher and does a lot of the things Ekeler did. Harbaugh will likely want a RB to eat up carries and get in the end zone. When Harbaugh was in San Fran he loved Frank Gore. The Chargers are a solid landing spot for Barkley via trade or free agency.
