The Dallas Cowboys are emerging as strong contenders to acquire their divisional rival’s star running back. It appears that they could poach Saquon Barkley away from the New York Giants.
Per the latest betting odds from DraftKings Sportsbook, the Cowboys boast the fourth-best odds (+650) of securing Barkley. Barkley, a two-time Pro Bowl player, is set to enter free agency following the Giants’ decision not to place the franchise tag on him.
The potential move by the Cowboys to pursue Barkley holds logical merit, especially with their current starting running back, Tony Pollard, entering free agency. Pollard’s return to Dallas for another season remains uncertain.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter weighed in on the matter during a recent appearance on NFL Live, suggesting that an NFC East team could make a serious push for Barkley’s services.
“How would Saquon look in Dallas? How would Saquon look in Philadelphia? How would Saquon look somewhere in the NFC East other than the New York Giants? I can see an NFC East team exploring that to see if they can make something happen with Saquon. That would be something that would be really interesting to track and watch in free agency here next week.”
Given Pollard’s somewhat underwhelming performance in his inaugural year as a starting back, with his yards per carry dropping from 5.2 in 2022 to 4.0 in 2023, the Cowboys might seek a more established full-time starter like Barkley.
At 27 years old, Barkley is widely recognized as one of the premier running backs in the league when healthy. His stellar rookie season in 2018 saw him clinch the Offensive Rookie of the Year title, rushing for 1,307 yards on an impressive 5.0 yards per carry, along with 11 touchdowns. Moreover, Barkley’s versatility was on full display as he amassed 2,028 all-purpose yards, leading the league in that category, and set an NFL record for receptions by a rookie running back with 91.
Despite battling injuries, Barkley’s impact has remained significant, earning him a Pro Bowl nod in the 2022 season. In that year, he played a pivotal role in guiding the Giants to a playoff berth and their first postseason victory since 2011, amassing 1,312 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on 4.4 yards per carry.
As speculation surrounding Saquon Barkley’s potential move intensifies, the prospect of seeing him don the Cowboys’ jersey would undoubtedly make for a compelling storyline within the NFC East rivalry.
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