In a crazy turn of events, former New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley signed a three-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday afternoon. With free agency underway, Philadelphia is clearly making a run at a Super Bowl in the near future, and paying Barkley reinforces that goal.
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The Giants Move on From Saquon Barkley
The Giants never really got involved with Barkley on a deal of this magnitude, which will pay him $37.75 million over three years, but that number can balloon up to $46.75 million if he hits incentives. The deal includes $26 million, which is fully guaranteed at signing, far above what the Giants were willing to offer for their star running back and locker room leader.
Barkley is coming off a season where he played 14 games, totaling 962 yards on the ground and six rushing touchdowns, including 3.9 yards per attempt. He also added 280 yards to the air and four touchdowns.
Saquon goes from a key piece in the Giants’ offense to a Philadelphia Eagles unit that hopes to rebound after a disappointing end to the 2023 season. Their offense got significantly better, allowing D’Andre Swift to walk in free agency and adding one of the most versatile backs in football to their equation.
The Giants will need to pivot to free agency, where they were considering Tony Pollard but were offering less than the deal he signed with the Tennessee Titans. They may pivot to an option like Devin Singletary or Zack Moss, who will come in at a cheaper price point, keeping costs down.