Running back Saquon Barkley might have ended up with the Houston Texans instead of the Philadelphia Eagles.
That isn’t new information, as it was reported the Texans offered Barkley a slightly smaller contract than the one he ultimately signed with the Eagles. However, Barkley said on the “New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce” podcast that Houston originally had his attention before offers were put on the table in free agency.
“Probably the first team that had my first interest was Houston,” he said. “I got to communicate with C.J. [Stroud] and a couple of those boys.”
Saquon Barkley confirms Houston was his top choice entering free agency before ultimately shifting to the Eagles.
Mentions being recruited by C.J. Stroud pic.twitter.com/u5XM17hdh6
— Chancellor Johnson (@ChancellorTV) March 28, 2024
This lines up with all the reporting ahead of free agency that linked Barkley to the Texans. Head coach DeMeco Ryans even said at the NFL owners meetings this week that the team had a plan to add a running back this offseason.
It sounds as though the interest between Barkley and the team was mutual, but the money was different. Houston offered Barkley a three-year, $33 million deal, according to KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson, and he ended up signing a three-year, $37.7 million deal worth up to $46.75 million with Philadelphia. Picking the Eagles also allowed Barkley to return to Pennsylvania, where he grew up and where his family lives.
When Barkley signed with Philadelphia, Houston pivoted to a trade for Joe Mixon. The Texans extended Mixon soon after on a three-year, $27 million deal with $13 guaranteed — $6 million less than the offer for Barkley.