At the NFL scouting combine in February, New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen was asked about his willingness to trade certain players. At the time, only wide receiver Kadarius Toney was crossed off the list.
Asked specifically about running back Saquon Barkley, Schoen indicated a willingness to deal his star offensive player.
“I’m open to everything,” Schoen said at the time. “I’ll listen to anybody if it’s trading a couple players. I’m not going to say the entire roster, we’re open for business on the entire roster, but if anybody’s going to call and they’re interested in any of our players, I’ll certainly listen.”
Those comments took on a life of their own. In the month since, Barkley’s trade speculation has run high and the Giants have even received some calls. However, as it turns out, they’re not actively shopping Barkley. In fact, they don’t even necessarily seem interested in dealing him at all.
But because his combine comments sparked such a viral news wave, Schoen personally reached out to Barkley to clarify his stance.
“After I talked to you guys (at the combine), but maybe an hour or whatever it was, I called him right away and he answered,” Schoen told reporters on Monday at the NFL owners meetings. “We’ve had a great relationship since I’ve been here. I’ve got a really good relationship with his agent, and I spoke with her during the combine, too.”
Ultimately, Schoen says, calls are coming in on Barkley but the team is not actively looking to move him.
“That was taken a little bit out of context at the combine,” Schoen added. “I have not called one team on Saquon Barkley, okay? Everybody ran with that from the combine, I said I would listen if people called on any player, so it would be irresponsible if I didn’t. That doesn’t mean I’m going to do every deal, so I haven’t called one team on Saquon Barkley. I’ve gotten calls about a few of our players and he’s one where a couple teams have reached out, but again, I’m not shopping Saquon Barkley.
“It’d be irresponsible if a team calls — I think 31 other GMs would say the same thing — if somebody is going to call and offer you something ridiculous, you’re going to listen. It doesn’t mean you’re going to do any deal or you’re going to say ‘yes’ to it. We’ve got an offensive head coach (Brian Daboll). He likes to have as many weapons and toys as he can.”
Schoen, Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka will get their first on-field look at Barkley in roughly two weeks when the Giants conduct their pre-2022 NFL draft minicamp in East Rutherford.
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