Fresh off a tough, messy loss to the New York Jets, the New York Giants find themselves 2-6 and facing the prospects of a tough ending to the 2023 NFL season. The team has had poor quarterback play, an offense that has not made plays, and a defense that has been beaten countless times so far this season.
Add in the fact that they just traded one of their best defensive players, Leonard Williams, to the Seattle Seahawks, and one could wonder if a fire sale of sorts is coming for the G-Men as the NFL trade deadline approaches. The name that gets brought up the most is star running back Saquon Barkley. A playoff team may want to add a dynamic piece to their backfield as they look to add to their roster and potentially go on a Super Bowl run.
However, with the interest there, would the Giants actually consider making the move? Let’s take a closer look at the situation to find out.
Is Saquon Barkley Officially Off the Table?
While some would tell the Giants to consider the move as the team’s 2023 season is at a low point right now, the Giants seem steady in their intention to keep Barkley in the fold regardless.
Inquiries have still arisen on #Giants RB Saquon Barkley, but said teams are being told he 'isn't going anywhere.'
Barkley is not only a core piece, but the clear face of the franchise.
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson)
According to CBS Sports’ Senior NFL Insider Josina Anderson, despite teams calling with interest in the star running back, the word is that Barkley “isn’t going anywhere.” The feeling is that Barkley is a core piece of the Giants team, now and into the future, and they would rather build around Barkley than get rid of him.
Barkley was asked about the idea of being traded, and he made it clear that, while he understands it’s a business, it is not something he wants to deal with.
“Sitting here, everyone knows how I feel. Everyone knows I don’t want to get traded,” Barkley said. “I don’t think anyone in their right mind would want to get traded anywhere. It’s not an easy thing to do. You have to move. I have a family. I would love to be here.”
MORE: 2023 NFL Trade Deadline — Live Updates, Rumors, Analysis, and More
“But like I said, it’s not in my control. My focus is to be the leader I can be for this team and get this thing on the right track.”
While Barkley’s name has swirled within trade rumors for what has felt like all season, this may finally put to bed the idea that he can be had at the deadline.
If Barkley Is a Part of the Plan, He Needs To Get Paid
Currently, Barkley is playing on a restructured franchise tag deal that is only good for one season. Meaning, if the Giants truly do believe that Barkley is a part of their plans, they need to lock him up with a long-term deal this offseason.
There is no guarantee that Barkley will want to be back with the Giants, and the idea of using another tag on him probably is not the route that either side wants to go, which begs the question — why wouldn’t the Giants think about moving him with all these uncertainties to come?
Either way, it looks as if Barkley will be a Giant for at least the rest of the season, and if the Giants mean what they say, then they have some real work to do to get Barkley under contract to be the face of the franchise.
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