The early stages of this season have been an unmitigated disaster for Saquon Barkley and the New York Giants. That has led to some rumors that Barkley could be traded. Perhaps a team like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would come in with an aggressive offer.
After a surprisingly impressive 2022-23 campaign in which the Giants won nine games, made the playoffs and upset the Minnesota Vikings in the Wild Card Round, many felt New York would take another step forward this year.
That is not what has occurred thus far.
Instead, the Giants have appeared to take a massive step backward, going just 1-3 over their first four games and suffering multiple blowout losses. Most recently, Big Blue fell to the Seattle Seahawks by a score of 24-3 in a Monday night home game that represented what was probably the lowest point for the club since 2021.
Naturally, Saquon Barkley trade speculation has begun, as New York failed to reach a long-term agreement with the star running back before the season. Barkley, who has missed each of the last two games with a sprained ankle, will be a free agent in the spring, and if recent developments are any indication, he may very well be playing elsewhere in 2024.
Ryan Fowler of Bleacher Report suggests that the Giants could trade Barkley to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a 2024 second-round draft pick and a 2025 fifth-rounder.
While it may not seem like a very loaded return for New York, it’s important to keep in mind that Barkley has not played a full season since his rookie year back in 2018. Since then, the 26-year-old has been riddled with injuries, so his value is not quite the same at this stage of his career.
Still, when healthy, there is no doubt that Barkley is one of the game’s best halfbacks, and the surprising 3-1 Buccaneers could certainly use an elite rusher in their backfield.
In two games this season, Barkley has carried the ball 29 times for 114 yards and a touchdown while adding nine catches for 41 yards and a score.
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