Despite $35M Obstacle, Jim Harbaugh & Co. Set to Take on NFL’s “Serious Suitors” to Sign RB Saquon Barkley

It was a $12.1 million price tag on Saquon Barkley, pretty pricey for the New York Giants to spend on their free agent, given the tight cap spaces in the NFL, which is why the franchise decided to skip him, opening the veteran RB up. However, the Saquon Barkley race had commenced even before the Giants released him. Several teams were on their heels to secure him. One much-talked-about name from the list was Jim Harbaugh, who had shown great interest in hiring the RB in the past. All he wanted was a “little time and flexibility,” since his hands were tied by the same salary cap restrictions that the Giants were facing, just a bit worse. $35 million worse.

Joey Bosa and Keenan Allen have iterated their staying at the Chargers, especially now that they have a head coach like Harbaugh. This signals that the veteran defensive ends might be open for contract restructures with Harbaugh. But it remains for Jim Harbaugh to be solved later. Right now, his focus seems to be on the player he has been wanting to secure since he went on a complete staff overhaul: Saquon Barkley. Despite all the odds, Jim Harbaugh isn’t seemingly letting Saquon Barkley go. Per ESPN Jordan Raanan, the Chargers are among the “top suitable suitors” for Barkley.

However, that isn’t the worst (or the best) part about Jim Harbaugh’s dilemma, it’s going to be his competition with two of the most challenging competitors there can be against him in the race.

Jim Harbaugh v John Harbaugh and Matt Eberflus?

Ravens had to be on the list of ‘top suitors’ in the Barkley race to make things worse for Jim Harbaugh. The rift between Jim Harbaugh and John Harbaugh, professionally of course, is getting a bit too real, since the two somehow end up opposite each other on several things since Jim Harbaugh entered the NFL, Saquon Barkley being one. The reason for this is assumed to be the 2013 Super Bowl, one that Jim Harbaugh lost to John Harbaugh. Given the tension, will the Ravens clinch Barkley right under Harbaugh’s nose?

READ ALSO: Jim Harbaugh Presented With Golden Opportunity as the Giants Refuse to Place Franchise Tag on Saquon Barkley

The question is concerning for the Chargers but it’s not the only concern they have as the Chicago Bears are also the other “top suitor” for Saquon Barkley. Bears are the more formidable ones when it comes to the 2024 NFL draft. The team has the first-round pick in April, so they can easily whisk away whichever player they want, the best QB, the best RB anyone. However, the first pick by the Bears is projected to be one of the top college football QBs like Drake Maye or Caleb Williams. Yet, one can never know what’s going to happen next in the NFL draft.