In a brutally frank moment on the first episode of Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants, general manager Joe Schoen and staffers talked about running back Saquon Barkley’s future with the team.
The team has obviously since made its decision. The Philadelphia Eagles signed the star running back to a three-year free agent deal in March.
But that earlier conversation, which went viral in a video on social media earlier this week, showed Giants’ staffers essentially saying Barkley was not worth keeping, that he was 27, now considered ancient in NFL running back years, and would have been overpriced if the Giants tagged him. Oh, and no other team would want to trade for him.
That video, and the discussion dissing Barkley, set off Eagles star A.J. Brown, who vented in a message on X.
“The Saquon video fired me up and it wasn’t even about me,” Brown wrote. “I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure you get yours fam!” he posted.
The post has since been deleted, but here’s a screen image:
For those who missed the Hard Knocks excerpt, it’s a continuation of the trend in the NFL where teams view running backs largely as disposable commodities unworthy of big contracts.
Giants had to have some TOUGH conversations regarding Saquon this offseason 😬
(Via HBO’s Hard Knocks on @StreamOnMax, @NFL, @Giants)
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) July 3, 2024
Everyone knows Barkley will be extra motivated against the Giants next season. It appears Brown will be right there with him.
[A.J. Brown on X/Twitter]
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.