Giants RB Saquon Barkley – ‘I don’t want to get traded’

The trade deadline is set for 4 p.m. ET on October 31.

“Everyone knows exactly how I feel. I have absolutely no intentions of being traded,” asserted Barkley. “No one in their right mind would willingly put themselves in a position to be traded. It’s complicated and involves major changes, and I have a family. I genuinely want to stay here.”

However, Barkley acknowledges that the final decision is beyond his control. Despite this uncertainty, his primary focus remains on exhibiting strong leadership qualities for his team and steering them in the right direction.

This Sunday, Barkley and the Giants (1-5) will face the Washington Commanders on their home turf.

After recuperating from a high ankle sprain, this will be Barkley’s second game back in action. In his previous game against the Buffalo Bills, he showcased his prowess by rushing for 93 yards on 24 carries, even though it ended in a 14-9 loss.

This season, Barkley has accumulated 207 rushing yards and scored two touchdowns in total.

Although a persuasive argument can be made for the struggling Giants to consider parting ways with some of their players, this season has been a catastrophic surprise after their successful campaign last year, which saw them reach the playoffs and secure a playoff victory. All of this occurred under the guidance of general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll.

During the entirety of the 2022 season, Barkley remained injury-free and concluded the year with his career-high 1,307 rushing yards. Unfortunately, he failed to reach a long-term agreement with the Giants and opted for an adjusted franchise tag with additional incentives worth $1 million on the first day of training camp.

Due to the contract dispute, Barkley did not participate in the team’s offseason training program earlier this spring.

Barkley’s future with the Giants remains uncertain, as he is set to become a free agent at the end of the current season. The Giants still retain the option to utilize the franchise tag for a consecutive year.

This prevailing ambiguity adds weight to the notion that trading Barkley before the deadline could be beneficial for both the player and the organization. However, Barkley insists that he has not entertained this possibility.

“It has never crossed my mind,” he emphasized. “I have been vocal and public about my commitment to this organization and my desire to stay. Nevertheless, recognizing the nature of the business and my lack of control over certain aspects, I understand that there are numerous variables at play.”

Barkley asserts that the concept of a trade has not been discussed with his personal team, as he deems it unworthy of his attention and time.

In the meantime, Barkley has chosen to divert his focus to other matters.

“It’s not a matter of ignoring the trade rumors. I simply cannot control them. I lack the power to influence any decisions that might arise,” Barkley explained. “The only control I possess is how I show up for work and approach competition. Those are the aspects I can manage.”