Is Saquon Barkley A Free Agent in 2023? Which Team Will Sign Barkley In The Offseason?

Is Saquon Barkley a free agent in 2023? Which teams are favorites to land Barkley if he leaves the Giants? Read the 2023 NFL free agency outlook.

New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley is coming off his best season since 2018 and he is set to be a free agent in the 2023 offseason after five seasons with the G-Men.  Barkley played in 16 games this season, rushing 295 times for 1,312 yards, and ten rushing touchdowns. He added 57 receptions for 338 yards but did not score through the air.

No matter how you slice it, it was his healthiest and most productive year since the former No. 2 overall pick's rookie season. The running back market is always interesting, and this is the best class of free agent backs in recent memory, so the Giants and Barkley will have tough decisions to make.

Will Barkley return to the Giants in 2023? If not, which teams could potentially sign the two-time Pro-Bowler? Let's find out.

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Is Saquon Barkley A Free Agent in 2023?

Barkley played the first four years of his rookie contract, and although he suffered numerous injuries early in his career, the Giants picked up his fifth-year option. Ultimately it was a good move for New York, but there's no guarantee they'll bring him back for 2023. The team also has a decision to make with Daniel Jones, so that could play a factor in Barkley's potential extension, too.

Barkley said firsthand he's not looking to "reset" the running back market, but if he doesn't reach a contract extension before free agency begins, there's a chance another team could outbid the Giants. Ultimately, every franchise views the running back position at varying levels of importance and worth to a team, so it will be an interesting situation to watch unfold.

Which Team Will Sign Barkley In The Offseason?

While Barkley is arguably the top running back who will potentially hit free agency, Josh Jacobs, Miles Sanders, Tony Pollard, David Montgomery, Jamaal Williams, Kareem Hunt, and Damien Harris have a chance to be on the market, too. Will the Giants choose to take the discount on a guy like Miles Sanders instead of paying Barkley top dollar? It's possible.

While the Giants are the favorite to have Barkley next season, Sportsline.com lists the Miami Dolphins (+300), Buffalo Bills (+400), Chicago Bears (+500), Carolina Panthers (+600), and Houston Texans (+600) as the five betting favorites if he doesn't return to New York. However, some of those destinations seem more likely than others.

Buffalo is already paying quarterback Josh Allen and wide receiver Stefon Diggs top dollar, so it's tough to think he'd land there. The Dolphins have some high-dollar players on the roster and will potentially be forking over hefty contracts to a few of their young assets soon. The other three teams listed don't have quarterbacks with hefty price tags, so they could reasonably afford him.

Again, it's tough to know what philosophy some of these teams have regarding the running back position, but the ideal landing spot would be a contending team with a quarterback on a rookie deal. With so many high-level backs on the market, there could be less interest than some people expect, though.

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