Saquon Barkley cashed in on the first day of 2024 NFL free agency, but his move to the rival Philadelphia Eagles drew the ire of former New York Giants star Tiki Barber, who quickly joked the running back is "dead to us" after leaving for an NFC East counterpart. Another former NFL great has since come to Barkley's defense, with Hall of Famer Barry Sanders on Tuesday congratulating Barkley on the relocation and commending the player's character.
"Congrats, Saquon," Sanders posted on X (formerly Twitter). "I know you wanted to stay with one team, but life has funny turns. No matter what, the character you have as a young man will carry you (through) all you face. (Can't) wait to see you run that rock."
Barkley, for what it's worth, said repeatedly he desired to be a "Giant for life," expressing interest in signing a long-term contract with the team that drafted him No. 2 overall in 2018. But the Giants did not extend a long-term offer this offseason, according to ESPN, going on to sign former Houston Texans running back Devin Singletary to a three-year, $16.5 million deal Monday. This, of course, came a year after New York used the franchise tag to retain Barkley, then gave the former Pro Bowler a slight pay raise for the 2023 season.
On his new three-year, $37.75 million deal with the Eagles, Barkley becomes one of the NFL's top-five highest-paid players at his position, averaging roughly $12.6 million per year. The 27-year-old enters Philadelphia after a promising but frustrating six-year run in New York, where he once eclipsed 2,000 scrimmage yards to headline a surprise playoff appearance but also missed significant action due to injuries. While the Eagles don't typically spend big bucks at the position, Barkley could be uniquely positioned for a breakout on Philly's playoff-tested roster.
