Patriots Country

Patriots to Sign Giants RB Saquon Barkley? What are the Odds?

Are the New England Patriots and Saquon Barkley a match in free agency?

Mike Fisher

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The New England Patriots have their glaring need at wide receiver. But what if arguably the best running back in the NFL happens to be a free agent?

The Patriots have the fifth-best odds of signing pending New York Giants free agent running back Saquon Barkley, according to BetOnline.

Are we buying this - especially with second-year guy Rhamondre Stevenson emerging in 2022 as a foundational player? He started the year as the backup to Damien Harris but took charge when Harris was hurt and finished the season with 1,040 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns along with 69 receptions and one receiving touchdown.

Oh, and one more stat: Endless positive reviews from coach Bill Belichick.

Is Barkley better than that? Yes; he might be the NFL's best running back, when healthy - which in his career has unfortunately been an overriding "if.''

Harris is about to be an unrestricted free agent, so there is a roster vacancy. But there are also suggestions that Barkley via free agency is about to receive a deal in excess of $12 million APY. We say that's too high price to pay for a Patriots team that already has Stevenson and that also has other needs.

Yes, like wide receiver. Whether it's Brandin Cooks or DeAndre Hopkins (both pricy) or the NFL Draft, odds or not, there are probably smarter ways for the Pats' money to be spent - as brilliant as Barkley is.

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Mike Fisher
MIKE FISHER

Mike Fisher - as a newspaper beat writer and columnist and on radio and TV, where he is an Emmy winner - has covered the NFL since 1983. He is the author of two best-selling books on the NFL.

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