It’s been well-documented at this point that the Chicago Bears might be players in the running back market this year. GM Ryan Poles wants to secure more playmakers on offense in preparation for taking a new quarterback with the 1st overall pick. The crop of free agents is strong this year, headlined by the two-time Pro Bowler Saquon Barkley. He’s already been connected to Chicago by multiple insiders. It isn’t clear where Barkley may prefer to land. Most agree it likely comes down to who offers the best deal.
Poles is always careful about the price tag with every player he pursues in free agency. Nobody is sure what Barkley will cost. Most top running backs command around $12 million yearly or more. While some believe that is likely where he will want it, others don’t see it going that high. Jordan Raanan covers the New York Giants for ESPN. He’s spent some time reaching out to NFL people about Barkley’s potential market. The majority of them seemed to settle around the same dollar amount.
The general consensus from more than a dozen general managers, executives, coaches, scouts and agents surveyed at the combine was that Barkley’s worth is in the range of $10 million per year as a free agent.
One general manager thought the running back market would crater for a second straight year and be in the $8 million range, while an agent with recent experience with a running back thought Barkley’s name value would get him $12-14 million per season. Those were the high and low estimates, but most thought somewhere around three years and $30 million.
Saquon Barkley probably hopes to top that number.
Remember, it is actually less than what he made under the franchise tag this past season. It would be humiliating for him to accept a lesser number. At the same time, the market is what it is. If teams aren’t willing to go above $10 million per year, he’ll have two choices: accept that or hold out hoping someone gets desperate and offers more. That would be inadvisable given how such plans have gone for running backs in the past. What it comes down to is whether the Bears are willing to go as high as $10 million per year.
They have more than enough cap space to do so. Saquon Barkley is a rare talent for his position. Poles has already shown he is willing to invest in “non-premium” positions if he feels the player’s talent is special. Tremaine Edmunds at linebacker is a good example. If the Bears think the price tag isn’t too steep, they will have no issues paying it. Barkley can be the perfect workhorse for a young quarterback to lean on as he looks to find his footing in the NFL. Credit to the Bears for recognizing the opportunity.
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