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2023 NFL Free Agency: Predicting where top 10 running backs land

By Sayre Bedinger

2023 NFL Free Agency: Josh Jacobs #28 of the Las Vegas Raiders celebrates a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers during the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium on January 01, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images)
2023 NFL Free Agency: Josh Jacobs #28 of the Las Vegas Raiders celebrates a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers during the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium on January 01, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images) /
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2023 NFL Free Agency
2023 NFL Free Agency: Saquon Barkley #26 of the New York Giants rushes during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Wild Card playoff game at U.S. Bank Stadium on January 15, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) /

2. Saquon Barkley, New York Giants

After his tremendous rookie campaign back in 2018, it felt like NFL fans were simply left longing for the good old days with Saquon Barkley. Injuries limited him tremendously from 2019-2021, but we finally got the chance to see the closest thing to 2018 Saquon Barkley here in the 2022 season.

Most everyone on the New York Giants this past season got a new jolt of life when the team brought in Brian Daboll and his coaching staff. Daboll was fortunate enough to have a healthy season from Barkley, who ran for over 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns. Although Barkley wasn’t as involved this past year as a receiver as he was in that sensational 2018 season, he was still a key piece of that aspect of the offense as well.

Given the fact that Barkley was so limited by injuries from 2019-2021, it stands to reason that the Giants are going to be cautious when it comes to potentially just throwing a huge contract his way. He seems, to me, to be one of the likeliest franchise tag candidates of all 2023 NFL Free Agency, right up there with his 2023 classmate Josh Jacobs.

It’s just hard to see the Giants putting so much money in a long-term deal for Barkley given what we saw three out of the last five years. But if the Giants were to let him leave, you had better believe some team would pay for his talent.

It’s funny how that works in the NFL, isn’t it? The team that knows you best might not give you the best deal, while teams that are desperate for an influx of talent might end up giving you the bag and regretting it later. That’s free agency in a nutshell.

If he leaves: Signs with Los Angeles Rams

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