Cowboys, Commanders Did Not Make Free Agent Offers To Saquon Barkley

Last year’s edition of the HBO Hard Knocks: Offseason series featured plenty of insights into Saquon Barkley‘s negotiating process with the Giants. His departure on the open market took place in the form of an Eagles pact (one which proved to be quite worthwhile, to say the least) after other inquiries were fielded.

Barkley has previously noted that he received four offers during his free agency last spring. At least two of those were more lucrative than the three-year, $37.75MM pact he ultimately signed with Philadelphia. Giants owner John Mara was notably concerned about the possibility of Barkley signing with an NFC East rival, but it turns out the Eagles were the only suitor in that division.

The 2024 rushing champion said at a recent charity softball game (video link) that neither the Cowboys nor the Commanders reached out to express free agent interest. Dallas has been the subject of criticism at that position given the links made between the team and All-Pro Derrick Henry. The Cowboys never made an offer in his case, paving the way for a Ravens agreement and a season which featured 2,114 scrimmage yards and 18 total touchdowns. Henry parlayed that production into a Baltimore extension this offseason.

Dallas saw Tony Pollard expectedly depart in 2024 after playing on the franchise tag the previous season. The team’s committee approach did not work as planned, and Rico Dowdle assumed starting duties en route to a career year. The former UDFA topped 1,000 rushing yards and took a deal with the Panthers on the open market. Efforts to replace his production resulted in one-year contracts for Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders. The Cowboys also selected Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah on Day 3 of this year’s draft.

The Commanders, meanwhile, have relied on Brian Robinson Jr. for each of the past three seasons. Austin Ekeler was added in free agency last spring. That tandem (along with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels) helped Washington to a third-place finish in rushing in 2024, and it will remain in place for at least one more season. Barkley certainly would have added more potential to the team’s backfield, but given the team’s emphasis on defensive changes during the transition to the Adam Peters-Dan Quinn regime it is understandable no pursuit took place on that front.

On the back of his historic debut Eagles season, Barkley landed an extension moving him to the top of the position’s pecking order. The 28-year-old has no intention or retiring any time soon, so he is in line to remain in Philadelphia for years to come. That will ensure several more matchups against the Cowboys and Commanders in the coming years.