San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans before an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Good news: CJ Stroud and the Texans could use a runner like Saquon Barkley.
CJ Stroud and the Texans could use a runner like Saquon Barkley.
There’s no doubt the Houston Texans are a rising NFL power. Behind first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans and rookie quarterback CJ Stroud last season, Houston established itself as a legitimate threat in the AFC just a year removed from going 3-13. The Texans’ breakout campaign came to an end in the divisional round of the playoffs with a road loss to the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens, but a 10-7 finish and blowout wild card victory over the Cleveland Browns nevertheless marked a wildly successful 2023.
How can Ryans, Stroud and company take the next step going forward? Adding one of the most talented running backs in football would certainly be a great start. Fortunately for Houston, more smoke has surfaced about Saquon Barkley joining the team in free agency.
The two-time Pro Bowler raised eyebrows across the NFL landscape recently by following Stroud and Texans teammates Nico Collins, Tank Dell and Brevin Jordan on Instagram, as noted by Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports. That development came on the heels of betting markets listing Houston as the favorite to sign Barkley on the open market
Collins, Dell and Jordan are young fixtures for the Texans’ offense alongside Stroud. They have an opening in the backfield, though, where leading rusher Devin Singletary is a free agent. Could Barkley take his place as Houston’s top running back, splitting time next to Stroud with third-year rusher Dameon Pearce next season and beyond? As the start of free agency looms on March 13th, a marriage between Barkley and the Texans seems increasingly likely.
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Is Saquon Barkley Hinting At Texans’ Future?
The Houston Texans are looking to make a splash in free agency this offseason, and with over $65 million in cap space at their disposal, they should be able to do just that. As it so happens, one of the biggest free agent names out there – New York Giants star running back Saquon Barkley – sits at one of their major positions of need. Last year’s starting running back Devin Singletary is set to hit free agency. Meanwhile, Dameon Pierce is coming off of a disappointing season in his second year with the team.
Fortunately for the Texans, Barkley – who is one of the most explosive players in today’s game – seems to be intrigued by what the team has to offer.
In recent days, Barkley has reportedly followed multiple Texans players on Instagram, including Tank Dell, Nico Collins, Brevin Jordan, and star quarterback C.J. Stroud. And while social media follows don’t necessarily mean a whole lot at the end of the day, the fact that Barkley is showing interest in getting to know players on a team who are expected to be in the market for his talents, isn’t exactly nothing either. Last season, Barkley had 1,242 yards and 10 total touchdowns from scrimmage in 14 games.
And while those numbers might be a bit down by his standards, much of that lack of production can be easily attributed to a lack of talent around him, including along the offensive line.
As for the Texans, they have no such issues and could be an intriguing prospect for Barkley to join, if he is looking to join an already explosive offense.
