Saquon Barkley Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN analyst floats Giants' Saquon Barkley as trade fit for AFC contender

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 10/13/23

ESPN's Bart Scott suggested during Friday's episode of "Get Up" that the Baltimore Ravens should try to trade for New York Giants star running back Saquon Barkley.

Scott said the Ravens should offer a second-round draft pick in exchange for the two-time Pro Bowler and that he isn't "worried" about how Barkley isn't currently signed to a long-term deal.

"I think this would be equivalent to what happened last year when you talk about San Francisco trading for (Christian McCaffrey)," Scott said. "Trade for Saquon Barkley and I think that puts fear in Kansas City and Cincinnati."

.@BartScott57 believes the Ravens should try to trade for Saquon Barkley pic.twitter.com/JlF8Nv2Ch2
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) October 13, 2023

Barkley has missed the past three games (all Giants losses) after suffering an ankle injury late in the team's Week 2 win against the Arizona Cardinals. The former 2018 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year has returned to practice in recent days however and could suit up for New York's Week 6 "Sunday Night Football" contest against the Buffalo Bills.

Baltimore is tied for third in rushing touchdowns (nine) and fourth in both rushing yards (730) and rushing yards per game (146.0), but much of that success has yet again come via the legs of quarterback Lamar Jackson. The former MVP leads the team in rushing yards (265), rushing touchdowns (four), rushing first downs (18) and rushing yards per attempt (5.6 yards) among other categories.

It'd be interesting to see what kind of production an elite running back like Barkley could show behind an offensive line like the one the Ravens field, rather than what he's had to deal with in New York.

Baltimore lost starting running J.K. Dobbins to a season-ending torn Achilles in Week 1 and the backfield has been led by a committee including Gus Edwards and Justice Hill (with a sprinkle of Melvin Gordon) since then. This is the third straight year in which Dobbins will be missing all or most of the season.

He was out for the entire 2021 campaign after tearing his ACL, LCL, meniscus and hamstring during a preseason contest. Dobbins's lengthy rehab caused him to miss the first two games of the 2022 campaign and he later suffered a knee injury, which limited him to eight total contests last season.

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