Giants' Top RB Options in NFL Free Agency, Draft as Saquon Barkley Hits Open Market
Saquon Barkley will be a free agent for the first time in his career.
Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the New York Giants have elected not to use the franchise tag on the two-time Pro Bowl running back before Tuesday's 4 p.m. ET deadline.
This doesn't necessarily preclude the Giants from bringing Barkley back, but it does give him the opportunity to explore the market and see what teams have an interest in adding one of the NFL's most dynamic playmakers.
Barkley's potential departure leaves the Giants with a huge hole to fill in an offense that was already one of the most leaky units in the league last season. He managed to finish in the top 25 in total yards from scrimmage and scored 10 of the team's 29 touchdowns.
The Giants do have plenty of options, both in free agency and the draft, to find a new starting running back if they are unable to sign Barkley to a new deal. Here are the players they might target if that ends up happening.
Josh Jacobs, Free Agent
1 of 3
If Brian Daboll and/or Joe Schoen feel pressured to make moves in an attempt to save their jobs beyond the 2024 season, Josh Jacobs is a player they could target in free agency.
A holdout and injuries resulted in Jacobs taking a step back last season after he led the NFL in rushing yards (1,653), touches (393) and yards from scrimmage (2,053) in 2022.
Much of the decline in Jacobs' performance in 2023 could be attributed to the Las Vegas Raiders' quarterback situation. Defenses were able to focus all of their attention on stopping the running game because they didn't have to respect Jimmy Garoppolo, Aidan O'Connell and Brian Hoyer.
Jacobs ranked 17th out of 23 running backs with at least 200 rushing attempts in yards before contact last season. This is a statement about how poor the Raiders' offensive line played more than anything about his performance.
Interestingly, Barkley was right behind him in that category with three fewer yards before contact.
This is just another indication of how much the Giants need to prioritize improving their offensive line before investing in a running back.
But Jacobs is a good player who can help the offense. He's proven to be a terrific running back and, like Barkley, a very good receiver out of the backfield. The 26-year-old has averaged 39.4 receptions per season over the past five years.
Derrick Henry, Free Agent
2 of 3
This one takes a bit of imagination to think it might happen, simply because the Giants are closer to a rebuilding team than a playoff contender and investing in a 30-year-old running back isn't the best use of financial resources.
But if we go back to the theory that Daboll and/or Schoen might feel like they need to have a lot of success in 2024 to remain employed, it becomes easier to envision a scenario where Henry is wearing blue next season.
Another factor that could make him very appealing to the Giants is his ability to succeed in spite of a bad offensive line.
The 2023 Tennessee Titans had a below-average offensive line, per ESPN's run-block win rate. This was a big reason Henry tied for 18th in yards before contact (2.1) among the 23 running backs with at least 200 attempts last season.
After contact, though, Henry looked like a player still close to his prime. His 570 yards after contact was the second-most in the NFL, three yards behind Christian McCaffrey.
Among those running backs with at least 200 attempts, Henry was one of only seven who averaged at least 2.0 yards after contact.
Henry is so big and physical that a team like the Giants can get away with some holes on the offensive line and still have a productive rushing attack.
Daboll's system dating back to his time as offensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills has never had a running back like Henry, but Josh Allen is about the closest a quarterback can come to emulating his ability to take on defenders at the point of contact.
Audric Estimé, Draft
3 of 3
If the Giants want a low-cost option with upside to fill Barkley's shoes, the draft is going to be great for them. There aren't any first-round talents in this class like there were in 2023 with Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs.
This actually works to the benefit of a team like the Giants because they won't have to overdraft a non-premium position and still get a good player.
Notre Dame's Audric Estimé did have a disappointing combine when he clocked a time of 4.71 seconds in the 40-yard dash, but he also had the top production score among all running backs in Indianapolis.
Estimé is big-bodied back at 5'11" and 221 pounds. His lack of elite speed might limit his ceiling, but his ability to run downhill with a physical style is something the Giants have been missing.
Barkley, for all of his talent and flash, could get himself in trouble because he liked to dance around the line of scrimmage to find a big play rather than take an opening to get positive yardage.
B/R's NFL scouting department ranked Estimé as the No. 2 back in the 2024 class coming out of the Senior Bowl. PFF's Trevor Sikkema noted the 20-year-old has "surprisingly quick feet for missed tackles and good explosiveness to convert speed-to-power in the form of yards after contact."
Estimé ran for 1,341 yards and 18 touchdowns last season at Notre Dame. He scored 30 touchdowns in 30 games over the past two years.
The Giants would likely be able to get Estimé late in the third or early in the fourth round. He may not be able to handle a full workload right away as a rookie, but his size and style will make him a problem late in games when defenses are tired and need to get a stop.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
