Schefter: Cowboys, Eagles Could Explore Saquon Barkley Contract as Giants Decline Tag

The New York Giants will not be using the franchise tag again on running back Saquon Barkley, making him a free agent when the new league year starts on March 13.

Although the door could be open for a return, it's possible Barkley stays in the NFC East, albeit with another team. ESPN's Adam Schefter provided this note on NFL Live Tuesday (6:25 mark).

"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."

The Giants, Cowboys and Eagles' top running backs from last year are all entering free agency in Barkley, Tony Pollard and D'Andre Swift, respectively. So the door is open for changes at the position in the division.

Barkley, a two-time Pro Bowler, just amassed 1,242 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. He's arguably the top running back on the 2024 free agent market, albeit at a position that has been significantly devalued over the years.

Still, Barkley's a talented and versatile back who can be the missing piece for a team with playoff or Super Bowl aspirations. Perhaps he could shift to another NFC East team, although the Houston Texans and Los Angeles Chargers have also been named as potential landing spots.