Having lost four of their first five games this season, the New York Giants look poised to sell at the Oct. 31 NFL trade deadline.
If GM Joe Schoen goes that direction, his most sought-after trade chip will unquestionably be star running back Saquon Barkley. The Giants were unable to reach an agreement on a long-term extension with their star RB, who’s eligible to enter free agency in the spring.
Should Barkley hit the trade block in the coming weeks, there certainly won’t be a shortage of teams interested in his services. Looking at the current NFC playoff picture, there’s one team that especially stands out as a logical landing spot for the Penn State product.
Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are off to a surprising 3-1 start despite a mediocre rushing game that has averaged just 87 yards per contest. If the Bucs remain in playoff contention leading up to the deadline, they should definitely pursue a trade for Barkley.
A fair deal could look like this: The Bucs get Barkley in exchange for a 2024 third-round pick and running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn. That’s fair value for an injury-prone RB who’s also in his contract year.
Vaughn hasn’t gotten many chances in the Bucs’ offense since his 2020 rookie year, but maybe an offensive-minded coach like Brian Daboll could fully unlock his potential. Vaughn would be at least a temporary fill-in for Barkley, who would embrace the opportunity to play for a playoff contender.
