New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley is arguably the biggest prize available in this year's free agency market, when NFL free agency begins on March 13.
Since he entered the league, Barkley has proven to be one of the most explosive game-breakers during his time with the Giants. While he has struggled with injury issues during parts of his career to this point, Barkley showed this season that he still has plenty of gas left in the tank.
NFL teams are often hesitant to commit significant resources to running backs due to the high possibility of injury and rapid decline in performance that comes when they pass their prime, so it will be very illuminating to see what the market thinks of Barkley this season after so many running backs struggled to get paid last year.
Here are three teams that could make the big splash of signing the 27-year-old Penn State alum to boost their offense, if he does not opt to return to the Giants.
Los Angeles Chargers
This is possibly the most intriguing destination there is. The Chargers are trying to rebuild their rushing attack from the ground up, and what better way to do that than to sign the most explosive running back on the market.
With Jim Harbaugh coming to town, we know the Bolts are going to want to establish the run and allow superstar quarterback Justin Herbert to thrive in the play action game and in more manageable later-down situations.
The idea of a Herbert-led passing attack and a Barkley led-ground game sounds like a recipe for a top five offense. The Chargers have some salary cap issues to sort out, but given Harbaugh's emphasis on the running game, adding a back could be one of the team's first priorities for spending money when they get the chance.
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Carolina Panthers
If Barkley is open to going to a team that is a ways away from contending, Carolina could be an attractive option. After the signing of Miles Sanders didn't work out last season, the team has an opening in the backfield.
First-year head coach Dave Canales emphasized to the media recently the heavy importance he places on the team being able to run the ball, and the team's offensive line is built to succeed more in run blocking than pass blocking.
Adding an established back like Barkley could also do a lot to take the pressure off of second-year quarterback Bryce Young, who had absolutely no help in his rookie year that saw him struggle mightily.
Houston Texans
While the Chargers have an elite quarterback and the Panthers have an interesting line and a young signal-caller, the Texans have both in breakout superstar C.J. Stroud.
If Barkley is prioritizing an opportunity to get a ring in the near future, Houston could prove to be his most tantalizing option.
The offensive line is solid, and Stroud has some strong young weapons to throw the ball to in Nico Collins and Tank Dell. While the team was elite in terms of moving the ball through the air last year, the Texans could never get anything going with the rushing attack.
While a Super Bowl in Stroud's first year was always a long shot given the overall state of the roster, the lack of rushing attack held this team back from what could have been a deeper run. Adding Barkley would go a long way toward turning that weakness into a strength.
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