Before his upcoming free agency kicks off, representatives of Saquon Barkley had a positive meeting with the New York Giants during the Scouting Combine, according to Josina Anderson of CBS Sports.

Barkley, aged 27, recently finished a one-year, $10.09 million contract and is poised to enter free agency in March. In the previous season, Barkley ran for 962 yards and 6 touchdowns, narrowly missing out on a second consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season due to a three-game absence caused by an ankle injury.

Despite Barkley’s consistent productivity, his career has been marred by several significant injuries, causing him to miss at least three games in almost every NFL season except for two, including being limited to just two games in 2020 due to a torn ACL.

When he’s at full health, he stands out as one of the top running backs in the NFL, making him a player worth keeping an eye on this offseason. While still being a few weeks away from free agency, Barkley has already been associated with a potential landing spot.

According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 in Houston, Barkley has identified the Houston Texans as his primary target in free agency. Wilson noted that Barkley has been discussing the possibility of teaming up with quarterback CJ Stroud in Houston.

“The headliner of the running back free agent class is New York Giants star Saquon Barkley, who has targeted the Texans as his top potential destination and has been communicating with Stroud, per league sources.”

Bringing Barkley on board could transform the Texans from a youthful, developing team into a contender capable of making a deep playoff run, especially considering the team’s substantial $67.4 million in available cap space.

It wouldn’t be surprising if Barkley ultimately decides to head south. In the meantime, discussions between Barkley’s representatives and the Giants will persist as free agency draws near.

Initially, Barkley envisioned himself remaining with the Giants for the entirety of his career. However, upon receiving the franchise tag last offseason, he came to understand that the NFL operates as a business for all involved parties. As a result, he acknowledges that departing from the Giants might be the most advantageous move from a business perspective.

“Yeah, I mean it never crossed my mind until last year after I got tagged. Up until that moment, I really believe that I was gonna finish my career as a New York Giant. You know, that was a goal of mine. And that’s still in play. I have so much respect for the Mara family and the Tisch family and everyone in the Giants organization,” -Saquon Barkley

It isn’t a curtain quite yet, let’s see how negotiations go with Barkley and Schoen. As a Giants faithful, I think I speak for a lot of New York Giants fans, when I say, we love Saquon.

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By Vincent Quezada

Photos Courtesy of Cooper Neill/ Getty Images