Saquon Barkley and the Giants were never built to last

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – The Saquon Barkley era in New York never had a chance.

It was doomed from the moment former New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman drafted the Penn State running back with the second pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.

“Frankly, he was touched by the hand of God,” Gettleman said immediately after the selection.

Gettleman later described him as a generational talent. Barkley himself confirmed these expectations by immediately declaring himself “more than a running back.”

But Barkley found himself in a bad situation as he was burdened with expectations that were almost impossible to meet. He had to be an all-time great to justify being selected so high. He joined a team whose quarterback, Eli Manning, played two more forgettable seasons and had to play behind a poor offensive line.

The Giants never really fixed their quarterback or offensive line situation in Barkley's six seasons. The team had a combined record of 34-64-1. Their offense was in the bottom half of the league every season Barkley was in New York. The highlight came in his rookie season, when he surpassed 2,000 total yards and they finished 17th in total offense.

It was the injuries that slowed him down the most. A sprained ankle delayed his sophomore season by three games. A torn ACL ruined the 2020 season. It really took until 2022, when he had perhaps his best — and only playoff season — for him to look like his old self.

Barkley, 27, finishes his Giants career as the franchise's fourth all-time leading rusher with 5,211 yards. But he leaves with just one playoff victory.

Barkley spoke about wanting to be a “giant for life” and having a career after playing like Eli Manning and Michael Strahan in New York. But the results on the field – for the team and for him personally – were never going to get him into that category.

There is no doubt that Barkley is still a very good player. He is a two-time Pro Bowl running back. But he's not what the Giants expected.

No matter how wrong Gettleman thought the position value was, the fact that Barkley was drafted that high as a running back was always going to work against him. It doesn't matter if No. 3 pick Sam Darnold is now a backup or if quarterback Josh Rosen was selected in the top 10 and is now out of the league. Quarterback Josh Allen was selected 7th overall by the Buffalo Bills and Lamar Jackson was selected 32nd overall by the Baltimore Ravens. They were among the Giants' options in this draft.

Based on his draft situation, Barkley was expected to be the one to turn around the Giants organization, especially since Daniel Jones did not turn out to be the franchise quarterback the team had anticipated.

After six seasons, it was time for Barkley to go.

Barkley can now play for a Philadelphia Eagles team that not only has real playoff aspirations, but also realistic Super Bowl chances. He grew up in the Lehigh Valley, about an hour from Philadelphia, and his family still lives there.

A three-year, $37.7 million contract, including $26 million fully guaranteed, is more than the Giants ever offered Barkley last season before he was injured. again – a sprained ankle cost him three games – and ran for fewer than 1,000 yards.

The Giants never really intended to sign Barkley this offseason. They never made him an offer, according to a source close to the matter.

It was more financially responsible to draft a mid-level running back and fill that position in the draft. New York is signing former Houston Texans running back Devin Singletary for three years and $16.5 million, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Adam Schefter. The money saved on Barkley and the running back position can now help general manager Joe Schoen fill out the roster.

If only Barkley had been put in a winning situation with realistic expectations.