From the moment the 2023 season ended, Schoen began commiserating about what to do with star running back Saquon Barkley.
The first episode largely focused on the Barkley situation and what hand the Giants would play, which included strong consideration of a potential tag-and-trade. However, Schoen feared getting stuck with the 27-year-old Barkley at a cap hit of $12 million, so they ultimately passed on that gamble.
The entire brain structure of the organization appeared very torn over what to do with Barkley, showing concern over his age and injury history while also acknowledging that he was the best available running back and still had explosive traits.
Few believed Barkley would strike it big on the open market but Schoen wouldn’t rule out the possibility. Director of pro scouting Chris Rossetti, meanwhile, seemed convinced someone was going to spend big for Saquon.
Specifically, Rossetti thought the Philadelphia Eagles would overpay for Barkley but Schoen didn’t agree. He thought Philly would spend big on their defensive backfield.