Saquon Barkley: Is he worth it?
Saquon Barkley has been one of the star names in the NFL since he arrived in the league in 2018. The New York Giants drafted him second overall, and he swiftly made a name for himself as one of the best running backs in franchise history.
He has many qualities that make him an outstanding player, but like everyone, he has weaknesses in his game. Barkley recently signed a one-year extension with the Giants worth up to $11 million, but with no certainty over his long-term future, it begs the question; is he worth it?
What makes Barkley elite
Since joining the franchise, Barkley has been the focal point for the New York offence. The 26-year-old hit the ground running in his rookie year, winning the Offensive Rookie of the Year and going for over 2,300 rushing yards in his first two seasons in the NFL.
Sadly, he missed out on most of the 2020 season as he tore his ACL, and despite also being injured for most of 2021, Barkley returned to his old form in 2022 as he once again went over 1,000 yards, and 10 touchdowns last year.
A significant strength of Barkley’s is his explosiveness, which allows him to run over defenders and pick up the maximum amount of yardage. However, Barkley is not only good on the ground, but he is also excellent in the air. A running back must be competent in the air as the league becomes more pass heavy. It allows their team to pick up easy yardage with a check-down throw.
Over his years in the NFL, Barkley hasn’t been in the best offence, and it will be interesting to see what he would be like in an elite team.
What he can improve on
As previously stated, Barkley has struggled with injuries over his career and it has been a problem for the New York native as he has missed practically two seasons due to injury. Being injury prone is a problem when it comes to contract negotiating time because a franchise won’t want to commit to a player if they know there’s a possibility they can’t play.
Of course, injuries are an unfortunate part of the game today, of no real fault to Barkley either. On the field, Barkley seems to struggle with blocking, as there have been many occasions where he’s been mismatched and has allowed a sack on the quarterback.
The key for Barkley is staying healthy, if he remains fit, only so many people are better than him. Teams should be desperate to sign a player like Barkley to a long-term deal, as he is only 26 and a superstar who can win games on his own.
