The offseason split of the New York Giants and former 1st Round draft pick Saquon Barkley was one of the biggest storylines of the offseason. After Barkley signed a three-year deal worth $37 million with New York's bitter NFC East rival the Philadelphia Eagles, Giants fans — and one particular former Giants running back — didn't respond too kindly. However, it's summer now and the past is meant to remain in the past… unless it was recorded for the first-ever offseason edition of HBO's Hard Knocks, in which case the past is also the present.
On a recent episode of Hard Knocks, the conversation in which Giants general manager Joe Schoen informed Saquon Barkley that the Giants would allow him to walk in free agency was aired. To no one's surprise, both Barkley and Schoen have fielded questions about this moment since the airing of the episode. Barkley has stated that he wasn't aware that his conversation with Schoen was being recorded for the series. During an appearance on the Up & Adams Show, Joe Schoen was asked by host Kay Adams if there was anything he would've done differently about the negations with Barkley.
“No, I wouldn't have,” Schoen replied. “You say when you watch it, sometimes when I do, my emotions go back there, when I’m stressed on the camera, that stress comes back to me, and I remember that moment. No, I think both parties tried. Again, this started back in November of ‘22. People forget that we did go to him before anybody else. That was my first contract extension, and first player that we approached from the Giants for a contract extension back in ‘22 and unfortunately we weren’t able to get anything done. We wish Saquon nothing but the best.”
The best may indeed be ahead for Saquon Barkley in Philadelphia. In a revamped offense under new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, Barkley could be heavily involved in both the run and pass game. Meanwhile, the Giants will need to find a way to fill the void left by the exit of the fourth-leading rusher in franchise history.
How will the Giants replace the output of Saquon Barkley?
After opting to let Saquon Barkley walk, the Giants were left to offer a three-year contract worth $16 million to Devin Singletary, who rushed for a career-high 898 yards last season after overtaking Dameon Pierce as the lead back in Houston. Singletary is on a run of three consecutive seasons with at least 800 yards rushing, and depending on his availability throughout the season, wouldn't be a bad bet to crack 1,000 yards this year. Coincidentally, the sixth-year back scored the first touchdown of his career in a 2019 road game at the New York Giants.
Singletary will enter the season as New York's lead back, and behind him are a stable of unproven commodities, led by rookie Tyrone Tracy Jr., a fifth-round pick out of Purdue who could end up being a major contributor in New York's passing attack. Eric Gray, a 2023 fifth-round pick of the Giants, figures to be in the mix for some touches as well.
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