Could the Houston Texans pursue running back Saquon Barkley in free agency?

We know the Texans have an explosive aerial attack led by quarterback C.J. Stroud and receivers Nico Collins and Tank Dell. That much is true.

However, one area in which Houston is lacking on offense is its ground game.

The Texans ranked just 23rd in the NFL in rushing offense this past season, and while Devin Singletary did a solid job for them, he isn’t exactly an elite lead back.

Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report thinks Houston should upgrade from Singletary to Barkley, noting that the Texans could only be a piece or two away from a deep playoff run.

Perhaps Barkley could be one of the final additions the team needs?

Davenport projects that the 27-year-old will land a three-year deal worth $30.5 million, with $16 million of that contract featuring guaranteed money.

He also mentions that Texas has no state tax, which could ultimately persuade Barkley to pick Houston.

Barkley is coming off of a rather rough 2023 campaign with the New York Giants in which he played 14 games and rushed for 962 yards and six touchdowns while averaging a pedestrian 3.9 yards per carry. He also caught 41 passes for 280 yards and four scores.

The silver lining is that Barkley is just two seasons removed from rushing for 1,312 yards and 10 touchdowns, which earned him a Pro Bowl appearance.

Of course, Barkley’s checkered injury history could serve as a deterrent to interested teams, as he hasn’t played a full campaign since his rookie year back in 2017.

That being said, there is no doubting Saquon Barkley’s ability when healthy, which is why a contending club like the Texans could very well take a swing on him this offseason.

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