Brian Daboll shares plans for star RB Saquon Barkley with trade deadline looming

Barkley spoke to the media on Oct 19 and shared his thoughts on the rumors swirling about his future.

"It hasn't really crossed my mind," he answered when asked if he'd thought about playing for a team other than the Giants. "I've been public and vocal about how I feel about this organization and where I want to be. Everyone knows I don't want to get traded. Nobody in their right mind does."

While Barkley is undoubtedly the most talented player on the Giants offense and seems to want to stay in East Rutherford, New York is sitting at 2-5 and last place in the NFC East. Given the disappointing trajectory of the 2023 campaign and the difficulty the two sides had in coming to an agreement last offseason, it could be a mistake for Daboll and the Giants to hang onto the veteran in his sixth NFL season. 

Barkley is currently playing for the Giants on a one-year, $10 million contract after a famously dramatic offseason for running back negotiations.  He'll also be 27 years old by the start of the 2024 season and has proven he hasn't left his injury history completely behind him after missing nearly an entire month with a sprained ankle. 

The combination of Barkley's history and the Giants' near-total dependence on him for any offensive success means the most likely result of New York keeping him is a season-ending injury sustained while attempting to carry the team to mediocrity. 

There is clear short-term incentive on all sides for New York to keep Saquon for the rest of the year. The front office wins because he gives fans at least one reason to buy a ticket. The coaching staff obviously wins as they keep their most talented weapon, and Saquon wins because he doesn't have to uproot his life. 

But the window for running backs in the NFL grows smaller by the season, and Barkley's years in New York have been defined by individual success but organizational failure. If the Giants are offered a good haul of picks or players from anyone other than Dallas or Philadelphia, accepting the offer is the kind of long-term move they should make.