Texans Target Saquon Barkley Signs Three-Year Deal With Eagles
Saquon Barkley is staying in the northeast.
The two-time Pro Bowl tailback for the New York Giants running back has agreed to terms with the Philadelphia Eagles on a three-year, $37.75 million contract that could be worth up to $46.75M and includes $26 million fully guaranteed at signing, sources confirmed with TexansDaily.com.
The news was first reported by NFL Network.
Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com-USA TODAY NETWORK
Barkley, 27, was thought to be the premier player on the market for the Houston Texans this offseason after New York elected not to use the franchise tag on him for a second season.
During Monday's legal tampering period, sources confirmed to TexansDaily.com that Houston "had an offer on the table" for the former Offensive Rookie of the Year, but the Eagles were steadfast on making an offer.
According to reports, Barkley would have earned roughly $11 million annually with the Texans on a three-year deal. With Philadelphia, he'll earn roughly $15.833 million annually through 2026, which would be second highest for a running back in NFL history.
Barkley, the former No. 2 pick in 2018, expressed interest in joining the Texans this offseason as a complementary piece alongside Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud. Despite winning the AFC South division title for the first time since 2019, Houston's run game factored into a race to first place in Week 18.
The Texans finished 22nd in rushing and were one of 11 teams to average less than 100 yards per contest.
Devin Singletary hit his stride midseason after replacing Dameon Pierce as the lead back, rushing for a career-high 898 yards and four touchdowns. Outside of the free-agent find, the Texans averaged 3.1 yards per attempt and scored a combined three touchdowns.
"I think the running game will be significant for us to improve upon," Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said earlier this offseason. "I think as you see as you go throughout this game, especially in the postseason, teams that win games – you’ve got to be able to run the football and sustain it. And we weren’t able to accomplish that versus the [Baltimore] Ravens, and it showed up.
"We [definitely] have areas to improve – many different areas – but the run game is one of those areas."
The Texans would love to have Singletary back for another year, according to several sources. Singletary, 26, said at the season's end he'd love to play for a "rising team with great fan atmosphere" but it would come down to salary.
“Devin is made of the right stuff," Ryans said of Singletary at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. "He’s a hard worker. He’s a leader. He shows up every day in practice with a great attitude, and the guys around him feed off of that.”
Barkley, who many viewed as a "generational" prospect coming out of Penn State, will head closer to his alma mater as Philadelphia looks to remain a contender in the NFC. He'll join fellow young quarterback Jalen Hurts and serve as a change-of-pace option in the offense that features premier talent, including Pro Bowl receiver A.J. Brown, receiver DeVonta Smith, and tight end Dallas Goedert.
Last season, Barkley rushed for just 962 yards and six touchdowns for the Giants last season, missing three games with a high ankle sprain suffered in a Week 2 win over the Arizona Cardinals.
Barkley has rushed for 5,211 yards and 35 touchdowns in his six seasons with the Giants. He also has 288 receptions for 2,100 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Houston's options at running back are slim following Barkley's signing. Tony Pollard, who was a potential target for Houston according to sources, signed a three-year deal worth $24 million with the Tennessee Titans.
D'Andre Swift, another potential Texans' target, agreed to terms on a three-year, $24 million contract with the Chicago Bears. Former Las Vegas Raiders star Josh Jacobs also is off the market after agreeing to terms with the Green Bay Packers.
Former Offensive Player of the Year and Titans running back Derrick Henry remains on the market, but sources have told TexansDaily.com that Baltimore remains the favorite to land him. Houston could pivot towards Aaron Jones, who was released by the Packers following Jacobs' signing.
