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Newly signed Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley discussed leaving the New York Giants and his free agency decision during an appearance Wednesday on the New Heights podcast, presented by Wave Sports + Entertainment.
Speaking to former Eagles center Jason Kelce and current Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, Barkley talked about how tough it was to move on from the organization that draft him, saying:
“Knowing you’re at a place for six years … I had a lot of ups and downs, tore my knee, I have a lot of history there. So, knowing you’re going to to leave—obviously before I even made the decision that I was going to be in Philly—knowing that this story, this chapter’s kind of coming to an end, it definitely sucks, but unfortunately it’s a business.”
Barkley ultimately signed a three-year, $37.75 million contract with the Giants’ NFC East rival in the Eagles, but he divulged Wednesday that he was initially thinking of signing with a different team.
The two-time Pro Bowler said that before free agency officially opened and he was allowed to talk to teams, he had interest in potentially joining the Houston Texans.
Barkley noted that he spoke to Texans quarterback and reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud, as well as some other players on the team.
However, things changed once free agency opened and the Eagles showed interest in him, and Barkley said that while he didn’t envision himself ever playing for the Eagles when he entered the league as a member of the Giants, it turned out to be a good fit.
Barkley was raised in Pennsylvania and played his college football at Penn State, and given that his family and girlfriend are also from Pennsylvania, it played a role in his decision to sign with the Eagles.
The 27-year-old Barkley was originally the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft by the Giants, and he made an instant impact in the league, earning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors by virtue of his 2,028 yards from scrimmage and 15 touchdowns in 2018.
However, Barkley was ravaged by injuries over the next few seasons, and he didn’t come close to replicating what he did as a rookie.
Barkley was able to bounce back in 2022 in his first season under head coach Brian Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, though, rushing for a career-high 1,312 yards and scoring 10 rushing touchdowns for a Giants team that surprisingly missed the playoffs.
Despite Barkley’s production, the Giants were unwilling to sign Barkley to a long-term contract extension. That led to Barkley playing out a one-year deal in 2023 and then hitting free agency.
In Philly, Barkley joins a run-heavy team led by a dual-threat quarterback in Jalen Hurts and one of the best offensive lines in football, so in addition to getting the compensation he was seeking, he is perhaps now in the perfect environment to thrive as a player.
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