Superstar running back Saquon Barkley has been mentioned in recent trade rumors as he tries to work out a new deal with the New York Giants.
The Giants placed the franchise tag on Barkley earlier this offseason, preventing him from hitting the free agent market. The two sides recently resumed contract discussions , and they have until the July 17 deadline to reach an agreement on a multi-year extension.
But if Barkley and the Giants are unable to come to terms on a new deal, the NFC East club consider trading its star player rather than risk losing him for nothing in free agency next year. If it came to that, Barkley would certainly attract plenty of interest on the trade market.
Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton proposed five blockbuster trades that could affect the 2023 NFL playoff race. One of Moton’s proposals? The Giants sending Barkley to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for star wideout Mike Evans and a 2024 second-round draft selection:
“Instead of allowing Evans to walk in free agency next year, they may be able to trade him for Barkley and a second-round pick. The latter hasn’t signed his franchise tender and wants a multiyear contract, but the Giants can deal him in a sign-and-trade scenario.
Though the Buccaneers would miss Evans’ consistent 1,000-plus-yard receiving seasons and his red-zone presence, they would acquire a 26-year-old three-down running back who can immediately improve a rushing offense that recorded the fewest yards in 2022…
As for the Giants, they would finally land a No. 1 wide receiver who can elevate quarterback Daniel Jones. Evans and tight end Darren Waller can turn Big Blue’s aerial attack into a top-10 scoring unit, which would close the gap between the Giants and Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East.”
On paper, this trade makes sense for both sides. Evans is four years older than Barkley, so the second-round pick would help even out the value of the trade.
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Daniel Jones had a career year in 2022 despite lacking a true star-level pass-catcher. Evans has hit the 1,000-yard receiving mark in each of his first nine NFL seasons, and he would unquestionably make this passing game that much more dangerous.
The Buccaneers had football’s worst rushing offense a year ago, averaging a woeful 76.9 yards on the ground per game. Adding a do-it-all playmaker and superstar running back like Barkley would certainly fix Tampa’s issues in the rushing game.
