Giants running back Saquon Barkley could be on the move this offseason as he enters the fourth year of his rookie contract. While there are no hard rumors or reports about his eventual destination, Pro Football Focus floated the 49ers as a potential landing spot for the former No. 2 overall pick. The problem with connecting Barkley to San Francisco is that such a move would run counter to virtually everything the 49ers have done with their backfield since Kyle Shanahan became the head coach in 2017.
There are two financial issues that would likely keep San Francisco from making a move two acquire Barkley — one short-term and one long-term.
In the short-term he’s expensive. The fourth year of Barkley’s rookie contract carries a $7.2 million salary cap hit. The 49ers could do some minor cap gymnastics to fit his contract in, but it might come at the expense of some other positions of need.
