The New York Giants put forth their most spirited effort of the season in Week 6 on the road against the Buffalo Bills. Despite their best efforts, they still came up just short, losing 14-9. While there were some positives to take away from the game, moral victories don’t get you much in the NFL.
At the end of the day, the Giants are now 1-5, and their playoff hopes are already on life support. It wouldn’t surprise anyone if New York sold ahead of the October 31st deadline, as they have taken a step backward this season.
A meeting with the Washington Commanders is on deck in Week 7. A loss there would essentially end any hopes the Giants have of making a run at the playoffs, as projections already have them squarely in the mix for the No. 1 overall pick, and at the very least, a top-five selection in the 2024 NFL Draft.
The front office has to keep that in mind when making any decisions going forward. Will they trade away veterans, waiving the white flag on the 2023 season and turning their focus into the future? One player whose status is up in the air as a result of this season is running back Saquon Barkley.
The Giants placed the franchise tag on Barkley this offseason, which led to some contentiousness between the two sides. After no long-term deal was worked out, many thought Barkley would remain away from the team for a while, but an amended one-year deal was agreed upon right before training camp.
Given the fact that Barkley has missed three more games this season because of an ankle sprain, it is hard to imagine the Giants are going to be more willing to sign him to the kind of long-term deal he seeks. If they didn’t commit to him this summer, why would they next summer, a year older and with more wear and tear on his body?
That is part of the reason why one former NFL executive who spoke to NFL Analysis Network believes the star running back could be on the move. One team to keep an eye on, in their opinion, is the Kansas City Chiefs.
“I think the Giants are very open to trading Saquon Barkley for the right price. One team that hasn’t been talked about that I think would be a perfect fit, is the Kansas City Chiefs.”
What could that price be? If a team is willing to trade a Day 2 pick to the Giants, general manager Joe Schoen and company will have to think long and hard about accepting such a package. There is a lot of work to do when it comes to upgrading the depth on this roster and flipping Barkley for draft capital would certainly help.
If the franchise is turning the page onto 2024, moving Barkley makes a lot of sense. He is good enough to help the team win games, which will worsen their draft position if there is no hope of making the postseason. Also, if they don’t plan on re-signing him, getting whatever value for him now instead of seeing him walk in free agency for nothing is imperative.
The Chiefs and Giants’ front offices are familiar with each other, doing business this past offseason. Coming together on another trade certainly is possible, but if anyone has shown you don’t need to use premium assets on a running back to find success, it is Kansas City.
