Tiki Barber: Why Barber Shouldn't Give Up on His NFL Dream

After a failed attempt to become a broadcaster, it seems as though former New York Giants All-Pro running back Tiki Barber has failed in his attempt to return to the NFL. According to a report by Sports Illustrated's Peter King, Barber's agent Mark Lepselter said that Barber was "flabbergasted and devastated" by not receiving a call from an NFL team.

Lepselter maintains that he never said Barber was devastated, but the fact remains that Barber is now dealing with the harsh reality that he is unwanted across a league he dominated not too long ago. Lepselter said that Barber has "moved forward," hinting that Barber is ready to give up on his comeback attempt already.

While many feel as though the chips are stacked against Barber in terms of finding an NFL job, I think that there is reason to believe that Barber will receive a call soon enough. Running back injuries are a dime a dozen in the NFL, meaning that there are sure to be plenty of them in Week 1 alone.

Teams like the Arizona Cardinals and Jacksonville Jaguars have already lost their primary backups for the season in the form of Ryan Williams and Rashad Jennings. While neither team has attempted to sign a replacement yet, they could be persuaded to early in the season if the likes of LaRod Stephens-Howling and Deji Karim don't perform well.

The counterargument used by most is that those teams would sign a player who actually played in the league last season before reaching out to Barber who hasn't played an NFL snap since 2007. Also, the fact that Barber is 36 years old (ancient in NFL running back terms) weighs heavily against him.

Many seem to forget that Barber left the NFL at the top of his game, however. Barber was the rare case of a back who, like fine wine, actually got better with age. He rushed for more than 1,500 yards and accrued at least 2,000 total yards in each of his final three seasons. He even caught 52 or more passes in each of those seasons to boot.

Obviously, it's foolish to think that Barber would pick up right where he left off if signed, but all signs point to him still being able to contribute. He may have lost a few steps, but it's unlikely that Barber's superior receiving skills have left him, making him an ideal third-down back.

As somebody who left at the top of his game in order to pursue other interests, it's understandable that teams may not think Barber is completely serious about playing again. Barber appears to a broken man who views football as his only salvation, though. There's certainly something to be said for a desperate player.

In the end, Barber will likely be nothing more than a low-risk, moderate-reward player. At this point he won't cost any more than the veteran minimum. The best-case scenario is that he plays well and earns a spot in a team's rotation, while the worst-case scenario is that he gets cut at little cost to the team.

If nothing else, Barber is worth a look from a running back-starved team. At some point over these next couple weeks, a top-level back will likely suffer a significant injury. Barber needs to remain committed, because if that happens then he may finally hear the sound he has waited so long for: the ring of his phone.