Saquon Barkley has been everything the New York Giants could have hoped for when he was drafted second overall. He was a Pro Bowler in his first season and earned Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Barkley followed that up with a second straight 1000-yard rushing campaign. Since then, though, the positives have been few and far between.
Barkley tore his ACL early last season and is currently sidelined with a sprained left ankle. The team has failed to build around him, and in a league moving away from running back-centric offenses, it's becoming increasingly difficult for a running back to will his team to wins.
The injuries, in addition to the NFL prioritizing the running back position less, are not Saquon's fault in any way. When healthy, Barkley is one of the most electrifying players to watch. But those negatives are real and becoming more prominent every season. Those negatives seem to clearly outweigh the positives, meaning that the Giants would be wise to trade him away.
Waiting for Barkley to be almost at full speed again will benefit both parties. The Giants will get more trade value with a healthy player and Barkley won't have to waste time with his new squad on the sideline. Plus, trading away a key player on the mend would be terrible optics.
Although it may not happen at this trade deadline, the Giants need to accept the fact that trading Saquon Barkley is in the franchises' best interest. Here are three reasons why.
3. Barkley is due for a contract extension soon
The Giants will have to make a decision about Barkley's long-term fit with the team soon. The team picked up his fifth-year option, ensuing he'll be under contract for them through next season, but he's slated to be a free agent afterward.
An odd wrinkle in this equation is that Barkley is such a special talent when fully healthy. He will demand to be paid as such, which is perfectly sensible. But because running backs are becoming more and more expendable, spending significant money on a single running back is not a wise decision unless his name is Derrick Henry.
New York is in no shape to guarantee big money to a running back, anyway. It's a luxury that wouldn't benefit them, as they have way more pressing matters to tend to as they continue rebuilding. Shelling out for a running back with a questionable quarterback and issues on the trenches on both sides of the ball would be terrible mismanagement of money.
2. Running backs are not difficult to find
General manager Dave Gettleman's decision to use an extremely high draft pick on a running back looks worse with every non-first-round rusher that finds success. The leaderboard in rushing yards since Barkley entered the league features players taken in various rounds of the draft. Backfield production can be found in various forms, and the Giants found this out just last season.
Barkley's backup, Wayne Gallman, averaged 4.6 yards per attempt last season, which was nearly a top-20 mark. In his last fully healthy season, Barkley averaged that same figure. This doesn't mean that the two are the same caliber of players. It does, however, show that good rushing production isn't something that only highly coveted running backs can provide.
Free agency and the later rounds of the draft offer plenty of options for running backs. The Giants tying their rushing game to Barkley for a high price would not be smart.
1. Barkley and the Giants both need a fresh start
Barkley and the Giants would each benefit from going their separate ways.
With a bounty of teams offering better environments to win in than Big Blue, Barkley would have the opportunity to join a team with a stronger offensive line and a better quarterback. The prime windows for running backs are not very big, and Saquon's will continue to shrink with each injury he suffers. He deserves the chance to contend for a Super Bowl.
Meanwhile, New York would be able to move forward with whatever asset(s) they get for Saquon and won't have to keep hitching their hopes to him. Gettleman — or whoever replaces him, should he be fired — has a lot of work to do with this roster. Trying to fall back on the luxury of having Barkley is not conducive to good team building.
It's time for the Giants to cut their loss and say goodbye to Barkley, for the good of him and the franchise's future.
Follow Us
Subscribe