If you have read my stuff in the past, then you already know my thoughts on Saquon Barkley. He’s the most overrated running back in the NFL. However, that’s not the reason for driving this article. The Giants need to trade Saquon Barkley because he does not fit the timeline.
New York is terrible. I’m talking about both the Giants and Jets. The Giants are my guess to have the number one overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Daniel Jones has some promise, but he’s not an elite superstar QB. The rest of the roster just flat out stinks.
Running backs have a limited shelf life. How many good years do you get out of this position with just one guy? The Giants are miles away. The defense is swiss cheese, ditto to the offensive line, and Barkley is the only “star” on the roster.
Whether it be this year or next year, the Giants aren’t winning with or without Saquon. It’s just a reality of the situation. When you draft a running back, there needs to be a plan in place. The Cowboys spent years building their offensive line before Ezekiel Elliott entered the picture. The Giants drafted Barkley with nothing around him, and that was a mistake.
In Week 1, Barkley had 15 carries for six yards. I don’t care who you blame (even though Barkley deserves at least some of it. Watch football, the guy runs backwards all the time). The reality of the situation is the Giants have or will waste the prime years of Barkley.
Don’t double down on the mistake. Letting Barkley rot on the roster is something the Giants cannot do. The Giants are void of talent and need a multi-year rebuild. Barkley’s rookie contract is going to be over before the Giants even think about becoming competitive again.
I also saw this yesterday. ESPN recently did a segment on whether the Giants could trade Barkley. Ryan Clark went on to use Odell Beckham as a reason not to trade Barkley. HUH? The idea that the Giants regret the Beckham trade is laughable. I said at the time; I would trade Beckham for a first-round pick all day.
Guess what happened? The Giants traded Odell, and they don’t regret it. He’s been nothing but a headache in Cleveland and has failed to live up to expectations. Imagine what New York could get for Barkley while he is remaining years on his rookie contract?
Guess what else would happen? New York wouldn’t regret trading Barkley. It’s time to start to rebuild; it’s time for a fire sale. Barkley needs to be sold to the highest bidder because otherwise, they will waste his prime years. You’re either all in trying to win a championship or all-out trying to rebuild. There’s no question the Giants are the latter.
