Many people feel the New York Giants made a big mistake by not paying running back Saquon Barkley, which led to him joining the Philadelphia Eagles as a free agent this offseason.
They could’ve given him a respectable deal last offseason, but he instead played out the 2023 season on the non-exclusive franchise tag.
Despite no longer being teammates, Barkley continues to have a relationship with Giants quarterback Daniel Jones, and he revealed what he told Jones after New York’s discouraging Week 1 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
“I’m really good friends with DJ. Obviously he didn’t have the game that he wanted, but for me it was just to let him know to go out there and play free and do what you do best,” Barkley said, via Giants Videos.
Saquon Barkley said he spoke to Daniel Jones after Week 1
“I’m really good friends with DJ. Obviously he didn’t have the game that he wanted, but for me it was just to let him know to go out there and play free and do what you do best” pic.twitter.com/YDpBX1clnT
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) September 12, 2024
Jones was the one who got paid by New York in the 2023 offseason with a four-year, $160 million deal, and in retrospect, it is looking like a big mistake by the organization.
There were rumors that the franchise wanted to move on from him this offseason leading up to the 2024 NFL Draft, and in the opener he played poorly, going 22-of-42 and throwing two interceptions without notching a single touchdown pass but throwing a pick-six.
Last season, Jones was limited to six games because of a neck injury and a torn ACL, and to a certain extent, it seemed the Giants did better without him.
They even went on a three-game winning streak with rookie Tommy DeVito starting under center.
Meanwhile, Barkley had 109 rushing yards, 23 receiving yards and three touchdowns in his Eagles debut, a win against the Green Bay Packers.
While the Eagles are looking like a potential Super Bowl contender, the Giants are looking like they might sink into the Hudson River at some point this season.
