Tampa Bay Buccaneers Have Decent Odds to Land Saquon Barkley in 2024
Current New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley played under the team's franchise tag in 2023 costing the team around $10.1 million to retain the Pro Bowl-caliber back's services. Barkley, who didn't quite have that great of a season to his standards, is now set to become a free agent this offseason - although the Giants could place the six-year NFL vet under the franchise tag for a second consecutive season.
If the Giants and Barkley fail to come to a long-term contract extension or the organization doesn't intend to place the franchise tag on him for the second time in as many seasons, then Barkley will likely have a list of suitors that will be looking to add him to their rosters.
According to Adam Thompson of bookies.com, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could be one of those teams interested in signing the soon-to-be 27-year-old running back - placing the Bucs with the sixth-best odds (+1000) for where he will land in 2024.
The move could make sense for the Buccaneers as backup running back Chase Edmonds is also set to hit free agency this offseason, leaving just starter Rachaad White and rookie Sean Tucker on the active roster at the position.
It remains to be seen what direction the Bucs would want to move in, however, as they are still in the playoffs and will have to reexamine things once their season does in fact end.
Over the course of his six-year NFL career with the Giants, Barkley has rushed 1,201 times for 5,211 yards and 35 touchdowns while also adding 288 receptions for 2,100 yards and 12 touchdowns. He has dealt with a couple of injury-plagued seasons and is seemingly on the downslope of his career, but he still shows that he can handle an NFL workload effectively and be a valuable piece to any offense in the league.
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