The New York Giants’ running game remains a clear weakness midway through the 2026 season, prompting coach John Harbaugh to invoke the name of former star Saquon Barkley as the kind of back the team lacks.
The Giants released veteran Najee Harris on Tuesday after a disappointing outing against the New Orleans Saints, according to multiple reports. Harris, signed late in the offseason following an Achilles injury, had 31 carries for 99 yards and no touchdowns in five games with the club.
Against the Saints, Harris carried four times for just two yards. Fellow backs Devin Singletary and Tyrone Tracy combined with him for 14 carries and 34 yards total in a 34-27 loss that left the Giants at 3-2-1.
Harbaugh addressed the committee approach and the frustration it created.
“I would love for us to be in that kind of a circumstance,” he said. “A Derrick Henry circumstance or a Saquon Barkley circumstance or whatever it might be. That would be great, and we haven’t. Our run game hasn’t earned that yet, and none of those guys have.”
With the NFL trade deadline set for Nov. 10, the Giants are among teams that could pursue a proven back. A Sports Illustrated column by Mike Kadlick listed Barkley as one potential target amid New York’s struggles.
Barkley spent his first six seasons with the Giants after the club selected him second overall in the 2018 draft. He earned two Pro Bowl selections in New York before contract talks with general manager Joe Schoen broke down ahead of the 2024 season.
Barkley then signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. In 2024 he rushed for 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns, won Offensive Player of the Year and helped Philadelphia capture Super Bowl LIX. He later signed a second extension with the club.
In 2025 Barkley followed with 280 carries for 1,140 yards and seven touchdowns. Through four games this season he has 36 carries for 182 yards, no touchdowns and a 5.1-yard average, but he has dealt with a hamstring injury that sidelined him recently.
The Eagles sit at 2-4 after losing quarterback Jalen Hurts for the remainder of the season because of blood clots. General manager Howie Roseman may face difficult roster decisions before the deadline, including discussions involving players on expensive contracts.
Kadlick noted that a Barkley return to New York remains far-fetched. Yet he pointed out that the NFL has seen unexpected reunions and that the Eagles’ current disarray could create openings for deals involving veterans in the later years of their deals.
A reunion would instantly give the Giants the feature back Harbaugh has described as ideal. Barkley’s history of production and ability to handle a heavy workload stand in contrast to New York’s current rotation of Cam Skattebo, Tracy and Singletary.
Any trade would require Philadelphia to absorb significant dead money, estimated near $26 million in 2027 under Barkley’s current structure. Rival executives have already floated the idea of the Eagles moving him.
The Giants would also need to weigh the cost in draft capital and the division-rival dynamics. Still, Harbaugh’s public reference to a “Saquon Barkley circumstance” keeps the idea in circulation as the deadline approaches.
Kadlick’s Sports Illustrated piece framed Barkley as the highest-profile name among options the Giants could pursue if they decide to upgrade the backfield. Other backs discussed include James Conner of the Cardinals, Tony Pollard of the Titans and Jonathan Taylor of the Colts.
Whether the Giants inquire about Barkley or pursue a different target, the backfield remains an unsettled area three weeks before the deadline. Harbaugh has made clear he wants a single reliable producer rather than continued sharing of carries.
