On Friday, the New York Giants announced they released quarterback Daniel Jones following his demotion, ending his six-year tenure with Big Blue after what had been a frustrating year for the QB.
Asked to react to the split after the news broke, Jones’ former teammate and now Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley discussed his relationship with Jones, saying that he hopes the QB will find the kind of prosperity he has had since his own departure from the Giants organization this spring.
"I've been in contact with him. Our friendship has stayed close throughout the whole process of me being here," Barkley told reporters Friday, via ESPN. "It sucks to see how everything went down for him over there. I've got nothing but great things to say about him. You're not going to really find anybody that can really say a lot of negative things about him.
"It's the NFL. Hopefully, wherever he ends up next, they're going to get a guy who comes in and work. It didn't work for me over there, and I'm doing well over here. Hopefully, he can find the same fresh start and success."
Barkley and Jones were drafted in the first round of the 2018 and 2019 NFL Drafts, respectively, by the Giants, earning their stripes as pro football players together. The 2022 season saw both produce career years on the way to a 9-7-1 record and New York’s first playoff appearance since Eli Manning’s departure.
Their careers in New York became further intertwined by the Giants’ contract choices in the wake of that breakout season. With both set to entire free agency in the 2023 offseason unless new deals were signed, New York opted to prioritize signing Jones to a four-year, $160 million deal. Since that deal, Jones has gone 3-13 as the starter, enduring struggles that ultimately led to this week's benching and subsequent release.
Barkley ended up being franchise tagged and played on an adjusted one-year contract in 2023. He entered free agency this last spring after he and the Giants once again could not come to an agreement on a long-term deal, a saga that was chronicled in Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants.
The running back signed with the rival Eagles and so far has thrived in his first season in a new jersey. Through 10 games he’s been arguably the best running back in the NFL, averaging a league-leading 113.7 yards per game with eight touchdowns.
As Barkley said, he is faring well so far in his post-Giants career. Now it's Jones' turn to depart New York, with his next destination as of yet unknown. But wherever Jones' next phase of his career takes him, Barkley will be pulling for his former QB.