Former NFL GM reveals if Giants should trade Saquon Barkley

The New York Giants enter this Sunday's home game against the 3-3 Washington Commanders at 1-5 and could soon become sellers ahead of the Oct. 31 trade deadline. 

Nevertheless, former NFL general manager Randy Mueller believes the Giants shouldn't trade star running back Saquon Barkley this month. 

"I would never consider moving him unless you had something you felt really good about behind him," Mueller told The Athletic's Charlotte Carroll about Barkley. "...I would probably add a better option before moving somebody. In other words, think ahead. Think about the next step. Not the one you’re talking about. But the next step, where does that leave us?" 

The Giants retained Barkley's rights for 2023 via the franchise tag, and the two sides failed to agree to a long-term deal before they put pen to paper on a one-year contract that allows general manager Joe Schoen to again use the tag on the 26-year-old this coming March. Barkley insisted on Thursday he wants to stay with Big Blue through at least Week 18. Mueller noted he thinks "the Giants feel like there’s a deal there still to be made" with the popular team captain. 

Giants legend, retired running back and CBS Sports NFL analyst Tiki Barber said on Thursday he believes "the locker room loses something" without Barkley. Barber also suggested that the Giants "tanking" the rest of this season after they won a road playoff game this past January could potentially result in the team parting ways with head coach Brian Daboll this winter. 

"I don’t think that they will trade a player of value," Mueller said about the Giants' approach to the deadline. "I just don’t think you can give them up. But it’s a business. You’ve got to do what’s right for your team, and your coaches are always going to be in that discussion. I always would use them, because anybody you acquire or anybody who exits, it affects our fit and our schemes and our planning on a week-to-week basis." 

Barkley and company may be able to temporarily silence trade chatter with a win over Washington. As of Friday afternoon, OddsChecker listed the Giants as two-and-a-half-point underdogs against the Commanders. 

Following this weekend, the Giants face the 3-3 New York Jets coming off the Jets' bye on Oct. 29.