New York Giants superstar running back Saquon Barkley was hoping for some clarity from the organization after Week 18. Unfortunately, he didn’t get that — leaving his future uncertain once again.

The Giants could always franchise tag Barkley ahead of 2024 free agency as they did last offseason, but the playmaker has made it very clear how he feels about that option. Using the tag would also tie up the front office financially during the early rounds of the rapid-fire NFL bidding process.

The dreaded door number three is to let Barkley walk and start fresh as general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll construct this roster the way they want. If the Giants go this route, EmpireStakes.com listed seven alternative suitors that are considered the odds-on favorites to pursue Barkley this spring.

Among them were the division rival Philadelphia Eagles (+1000) and Dallas Cowboys (+1200).

Saquon Barkley Could Fill Cowboys or Eagles’ RB Need in 2024

To be clear, EmpireStakes.com still pegged the Giants as the favorite to roster Barkley next year at +200 — which makes sense given the possibility of the franchise tag. The Eagles and Cowboys were further down the list of potential suitors, but they were both within the top eight.

If you think about it, Dallas and Philadelphia do profile as two teams that could be in the market for a running back in 2024. Many expect the Cowboys to look for a compliment to Tony Pollard despite another 1,000-yard campaign.

Pollard was given the ball almost 60 more times in 2023, and yet he accumulated two fewer yards on the ground. That reality was a product of his yards per carry clip that plummeted from 5.2 YPC in 2022 to 4.0 YPC with less help — plus a frustrating inconsistency in tough yardage situations.

The Eagles, on the other hand, have ball carriers D’Andre Swift and Boston Scott entering free agency along with Barkley. Philly doesn’t typically spend big on their running backs under GM Howie Roseman, but they could elect to change that strategy with a pretty strong roster everywhere else.

Having said that, re-signing Swift off his first 1,000-yard season could be too risky a proposition, so why not upgrade with a veteran like Barkley as the team tries to work their way back to the Super Bowl?