Saquon Barkley is officially a free agent after the franchise tag window passed on Tuesday.
New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen stuck to his word, having implored that he did not want to use the tag for a second-straight year on the star running back. The two sides failed to reach an agreement on a long-term deal during negotiations at the NFL Combine last week.
While Barkley constantly broadcasted that he wanted to remain a Giant for the remainder of his career, he now has the opportunity to sign with a new team when the new league year begins on March 13.
The 27-year-old will headline a deep class of free-agent running backs, which also includes Derrick Henry and Josh Jacobs.
Here are five places where he could call home in 2024:
Houston Texans
The Texans have roughly $70 million in cap space and the other major playmakers of their offense checked off. CJ Stroud is one of the best young quarterbacks in the game and he has two young receivers under control in Nico Collins and Tank Dell. Barkley and Stroud have been in touch throughout the offseason and, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 in Houston, the running back has tabbed the Texans as his “top potential destination.”
Dallas Cowboys
If this is not a move that Jerry Jones would love to make, we’re not sure what it would be. Not only would he have an opportunity to pluck one of the faces of a divisional rival, but he’d help boost an already impressive Cowboys offense that simply does not know how to produce when it matters most in the playoffs. Desperation is surely sinking in, so a big move such as this could help ease anxieties.
Cincinnati Bengals
They’ll have to use a portion of their $60 million in cap space to lock down superstar wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, but this is a Bengals team that’s on the precipice of a legitimate run toward a title. Joe Burrow is a top-tier quarterback, Chase is amongst the best receivers in the game, and Tee Higgins was retained via the franchise tag. Adding Barkley to that unit could be lethal.
Chicago Bears
The once-proud organization has been mired in mediocrity for a decade and a half and general manager Ryan Poles appears poised to do something about it. Not only does he have the No. 1 pick and will likely take USC quarterback Caleb Williams, but a top wide receiver prospect at No. 9 could also be in the cards. There’s money to spend and he’s certainly done that in the past, meaning a run at Barkley could be on the agenda to completely revamp Chicago’s attack.
New York Giants
Yes, Barkley can still come back to Big Blue when all is said and done. Both he and Schoen have expressed their desire to stay together, but it will all be about finding the magic number to make sure he remains at MetLife Stadium for the rest of his career.
