Saquon Barkley Trade Destinations: Five Landing Spots If Eagles Deal Star RB

Barkley has been hampered by injuries this season, but remains a potential trade candidate.

Saquon Barkley could be among the players traded if the Eagles sell at the deadline. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Trade destinations: Jonathan Taylor | Khalil Mack | Brian Thomas Jr. | DeForest Buckner

After falling to the Cowboys on Monday night, the Eagles are 2–5 and must seriously consider becoming sellers at the trade deadline. Several Eagles, including Riq Woolen, Moro Ojomo and tight end Dallas Goedert are trade candidates, but there is no bigger star that could be dealt than running back Saquon Barkley.

Barkley arrived in Philadelphia in 2024 and immediately helped the franchise win its second Lombardi Trophy by rushing for 2,000 yards. Since that fairytale season, the Eagles’ run game hasn’t been the same. They weren’t as efficient in 2025, and so far this year, injuries have hampered Barkley. 

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The ninth-year back returned from a hamstring injury in Monday’s loss, rushing for 62 yards on seven carries (8.9 yards per carry) before exiting with a back injury. A potential injury could cloud Barkley’s trade market if the Eagles are interested in dealing him. Barkley is signed through the 2028 season.

If the Eagles do decide to move on from the former All-Pro, here are five landing spots that make sense for Barkley. 

Giants

Could a reunion be in store for Barkley and the Giants? Before signing with the Eagles, Barkley spent six seasons with New York, the team that picked him No. 2 in the 2018 draft. While the Giants’ running backs rebounded on Sunday with an 188-yard performance against the Texans, they still need more help at the position. 

Barkley did not have the smoothest exit from the Giants, becoming frustrated during negotiations, and acknowledging they felt “a little disrespectful” before going on to sign with the Eagles. When he returned to MetLife Stadium, he was booed and saw Giants fans burning his jersey. The Giants have since hired John Harbaugh as head coach, but general manager Joe Schoen remains in place. The Eagles also might not want to trade Barkley to a division rival. 

Vikings

Despite their offseason efforts to improve the run game, the Vikings still have plenty of room to bolster their rushing attack. They rank 28th in EPA per rush (-0.17) and 12th in rushing yards per game (119.3). Their offense and running backs have potential, but could use an explosive player like Barkley to make them even better offensively, especially as the passing game remains a work in progress. Both Aaron Jones Sr. and Jordan Mason have been banged up this season, which could make adding Barkley even more important. The only risk for the Vikings is that Barkley has dealt with injuries, too, so it might be hard to rely on him. 

Packers

The Packers have the league’s worst run game, ranking 32nd in both EPA per rush (-0.29) and rushing yards per game (59.9). They just got Josh Jacobs back after he began the season on the commissioner’s exempt list, but he didn’t move the needle much in their loss to the Lions, rushing for 36 yards on 11 carries and dropping a potential go-ahead touchdown. 

josh jacobs drops an ez touchdown pic.twitter.com/AsTIVJ7d22

— wok (@wokdior) October 25, 2026

It’s fair to wonder how much Barkley could help the Packers’ run game given the state of the team’s offensive line. Barkley wasn’t as efficient a runner when the Eagles’ offensive line took steps back in 2025, but he would still be an upgrade over Green Bay’s current running backs and could lift their run game from the worst in football. 

Bengals

As the Bengals showed in their second-half performance against the Ravens, their offense is a powerhouse when Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Joe Burrow are all on the field. That offense would be even better with Barkley improving the rushing attack. Chase Brown has struggled to build on his 2025 performance, managing only 39 yards on 11 carries against Baltimore.

Outside of the Dexter Lawrence II trade, the Bengals typically aren’t super proactive about making blockbuster deals. Still, this move makes sense for both sides, especially since the Eagles would be trading him to the AFC. 

Seahawks

As mentioned with Jonathan Taylor, it might be harder to see the Seahawks pulling off such a move since they spent a first-round pick on Jadarian Price and Zach Charbonnet is nearing a return. They are also coming off perhaps their best rushing performance of the season, running for 153 yards in a win over the Chiefs. 

Still, Barkley is worth looking into as the team looks to improve the run game and return to championship contention—especially after they acquired guard Quenton Nelson on Tuesday. Barkley shouldn’t be as expensive a trade piece as Taylor, making him a possible target for GM John Schneider. 

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