He has totaled five touchdowns in three weeks, and even the most bitter New York Giants fans have to admit that Saquon Barkley is an MVP candidate with the Philadelphia Eagles right now.
Ex-Giants offensive lineman Justin Pugh never wanted to see No. 26 in the green and white when free agency rolled around, but the Eagles offered Barkley what he was looking for. To make matters worse, the Pro Bowl back said this week that the Giants were "never really an option" during that process either.
For a player who consistently said he wanted to be a "Giant for life," Barkley thriving in Philly stings to the core for fans, but it is a reality that Pugh cannot deny.
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"Saquon’s the MVP of the NFL right now," he told Fox News Digital. "If the Eagles don’t have Saquon Barkley, they’re 0-3. They’re 3-0 if he makes one catch – literally 3-0."
Giants fans had their "hate watch" moment when Barkley dropped a 4th-and-short pass that likely would have resulted in a first down and game over against the Atlanta Falcons, who had a miracle drive led by Kirk Cousins to pull off an upset in Week 2.
Other than that bad-hands moment, Barkley has been the driving force for an Eagles offense that has been without A.J. Brown and has seen quarterback Jalen Hurts throw four interceptions and four total touchdowns (three passing, one rushing).
Barkley leads the league in rushing (351), rushing touchdowns (4), longest rush, which came on a 65-yard touchdown run against the New Orleans Saints this past Sunday to rejuvenate a stale offense to that point, and yards per game (117.0).
Even if this is the best offensive line he has ran behind in the past seven years, Giants fans have seen him be the cornerstone of an offense, which is why Pugh pointed out what John Mara said on HBO’s "Hard Knocks" this offseason.
"That one hurt because Saquon Barkley was more than just a running back," Pugh, who played 12 games for the Giants last season and remains in game shape ready for his next opportunity, said. "John Mara mentioned it in ‘Hard Knocks’ – he’s the face of the franchise. He’s our identity."
"Hard Knocks" also showcased what Giants GM Joe Schoen was thinking when it came to Barkley: Do you want to pay top dollar for an elite running back, or use cap space to fill the other glaring holes on the roster?
He chose the latter, and Pugh does not blame him for it.
"He gets to dictate the personnel on the team. He gets to dictate what he believes is right in how to build a team, and Joe Schoen is that guy. If he’s wrong, he won’t have a job. And if Saquon was wrong, and he thought he could go to the market and get more and didn’t, he would’ve came back to the Giants for less and still be here," Pugh explained. "At the end of the day, it’s a business. The dollars tell the story. The Giants thought they could get away with playing hard ball and they couldn’t. Saquon went down the road to Philadelphia."
Additionally, while Giants fans did not want to think about the possibility at the time, it always made sense for Barkley to consider the Eagles. Not only are they a win-now team, but he grew up in Whitehall, Pennsylvania, played at Penn State and still has a large contingent of friends and family in the state.
When the dollars matched other personal wishes, it became a no-brainer for Barkley to shoot down I-95 to Philadelphia.
"I get the hatred that he went to the Eagles and it breaks out heart," Pugh said. "I think Saquon would still be a New York Giant, but then enters the equation of, ‘All right, let me take off my fan hat and put on my general manager hat.’ If I’m Joe Schoen and the shoes I’m in, there’s so many holes on the team going into this offseason that he decided he wanted to spend his resources elsewhere."
Schoen did exactly that, trading with the Carolina Panthers for Brian Burns, and he finally had a breakout game in Week 3’s win after back-to-back mediocre weeks to start the season.
Schoen was also quick to find Barkley’s replacement in the backfield, signing Devin "Motor" Singletary, who now wears No. 26 like his predecessor. Through three games, Singletary has been productive, averaging 4.7 yards per game with 197 total yards and two touchdowns on 42 attempts.
"We decided we’re going to hand it off to a $5 million running back, throw it to a sixth overall pick receiver, and we’re going to put the ball in Daniel Jones’ hands and that is where the identity lies right now. We’re in play-action pass, we’re going to do all the things we always have done.
"I think both sides won. Saquon got his money, the Giants are playing the way they want to play. They’re still not where they want to be. They’re going to add talent next year in the Draft and through free agency, and they’ll get better."
It is still fresh, even if Barkley's deal came in March. It does not help some fans who see him still bringing up the Giants, whether in interviews (he's being asked the questions, so that isn't really his fault there) or shouting out budding rookie star Malik Nabers on social media.
For at least the next three years, Barkley is going to be in an Eagles jersey, and he is likely to continue producing like this as long as he is healthy and Philadelphia remains a playoff contender.
The only remedy will be if the Giants continue to build in a positive direction to the point where those twice-a-year meetings with the Eagles result in stopping Barkley when he is handed the ball.
Barkley makes his return to MetLife Stadium on Oct. 20.
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