Statistically, Saquon Barkley didn’t have his best season in 2023. But his worth as a workhorse belied the $10.1 million it cost the New York Giants by keeping him around with the franchise tag. 

Barkley enters the 2024 off-season as a free agent, and the prospect of the Giants tagging him one more time weighs heavily. 

“They did it last year. So I’m numb to it. I don’t have any feelings toward that at all,” Barkley told the media when the Giants’ season ended. “If you’re gonna do it, just don’t wait until March 5. Just get it over with. If not, let me go. Simple.”

But now it sounds as though the Giants are leaning toward letting Barkley walk and test the open market. The 27-year-old will get his fair share of huge contract offers.

Bookies.com veteran oddsmaker Adam Thompson has updated his NFL futures odds as to where the two-time Pro Bowl RB will be suiting up in 2024.

Saquon Barkley 2024 Team Odds

Barkley was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft – a very high spot for a running back these days. But the Penn State product didn’t disappoint, gaining 1,307 yards on 5.0 yards per carry, with 11 TDs. He made the Pro Bowl and earned Rookie of the Year honors. 

Another 1,000-yard season in 2019 was followed by a pair of injury-plagued years, but he’s played 30 games over the last two seasons, gaining nearly 2,300 rushing yards and making him a good bet. Make sure you take advantage of BetMGM $158 bonus code BOOKIES if you want to bet on Barkley.

Barkley wants a long-term deal. The two sides tried last off-season but couldn’t agree, so the Giants used the one-year franchise tag, much to the chagrin of Barkley. Now he’s a free agent, but the tag remains available for one final time. 

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The Giants hold all the cards, but it appears less likely the team will use the franchise tag on him. They have pressing needs elsewhere, especially the offensive line. As we saw in 2023, it does New York no good to have a franchise QB and RB with no O-line to support it.

Who’s Favorite To Sign Saquon Barkley?

The Giants may still make a strong offer. Barkley has indicated he wants to remain in New York. With $40.1 million in available cap space, Barkley could wind up remaining in New York. 

But other teams are in a position to pounce. The Philadelphia Eagles need a lead RB with D'Andre Swift also a free agent. Finding a lead RB might be the top priority of their off-season; most teams wouldn't say that, which puts Philly in a prime movitational spot to make a move - and damage a rival's team in the process. It also offers a homecoming opportunity for the former eastern Pennsylvania and Penn State standout. 

Five other teams have a need at running back and have money to spend. Whether they want to spend it at RB is another matter. 

The New England Patriots, Houston Texans and Chicago Bears are all flush with cash. All rank among the Top 5 in available cap space for the offseason. RB won't be a priority for any of them, though if the price is right, Saquon greatly improves all those teams' backfields. 

The Las Vegas Raiders left Josh Jacobs walk. Similarly, the Tennessee Titans have the second-most cap space of any team but elected to let Derrick Henry go. Is either team interested in paying big money to a similar-but-different RB now? 

The Texans have the sixth-most cap space of any team and a need at RB with only Dameon Pierce returning. A veteran workhorse in the backfield could be just what the young-and-growing Texans could use to take the next step. 

The Cincinnati Bengals are favored to let Joe Mixon go and attempt to improve upon the NFL’s bottom-ranked rushing offense. Pairing Barkley with Joe Burrow and the weapons in the passing game would be a nightmare for the rest of the AFC North. Cincy ranks ninth in cap space. 

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Other teams may have an interest, but don't have the cap space to compete with those aforementioned teams. 

The Dallas Cowboys are in the market for a new RB with Tony Pollard going into free agency, and plans for change are in the air after a disastrous end to their season. The Cowboys are over on the cap line for 2024, however, though they've been known to make things work when it doesn’t look as though they should. 

The Field is paced by the Titans and other teams with pressing needs, including the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers, Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens.