Saquon Barkley’s days with the New York Giants appear to be numbered. It was reported this week that he’s not expected to receive the franchise tag this offseason.
Since Barkley is on track to hit the open market, it’s time to evaluate his options. He should receive significant interest considering he’s 27 years old and relatively healthy.
Out of all the potential suitors for Barkley, there’s one in particular that just makes too much sense. We’re talking about the Houston Texans.
For starters, the Texans have more than enough cap space to make a big splash this offseason. Spotrac currently has them at $73.9 million under the salary cap for the 2024 season. That’s the benefit of having a star quarterback like C.J. Stroud on a rookie contract.
Another reason the Texans make sense for Barkley is because they’re in win-now mode. It’s not like this team needs to undergo a huge rebuild. They’ve drafted so well over the last few seasons that DeMeco Ryans has a squad ready to compete for a Super Bowl.
We can’t deny that veteran running back Devin Singletary had a respectable 2023 season with the Texans, rushing for 898 yards and four touchdowns. At the end of the day though, Houston’s rushing attack needs more juice.
And if we’re being completely honest, the Texans’ lack of explosive playmakers at running back was costly in the divisional round of the playoffs. Singletary had 22 rushing yards on nine carries, which put all the pressure on Stroud. Normally, that wouldn’t be an issue. Against the Baltimore Ravens, however, he was unable to get the job done.
If the Texans are serious about putting an elite supporting cast around Stroud, they should make a strong offer to Barkley in free agency. The former No. 2 pick has the talent to take this team to the next level.
Besides, do the Texans really want to let Barkley go to another AFC contender like the Chargers or Ravens?