7 high-risk free agents the Vikings could sign in 2024
By Clay Vasquez
Player No. 6
Saquon Barkley - RB
2023 Team: New York Giants
Saquon Barkley is a player that needs no introduction to football fans.
He is one of the most electric running backs in recent memory, from his college days at Penn State and as a pro with the New York Giants.
There is no denying that Barkley is one of the premier running backs in the NFL, and the Minnesota Vikings glaring struggles in the run game last season could use an upgrade.
Barkley's biggest risk is the fact that he's a running back in the age of "don't pay running backs." While he has shown to get nicked up from time to time, eight missed games in three seasons shouldn't be the biggest cause for concern.
A running back who can stay relatively healthy and who has proven to be a star in this league used to garner a lot more money back in the day. In the new age of the NFL, that just isn't the case.
The Vikings offense could use some juice at running back, and Barkley is precisely that player, but paying him a fairly big contract will come with significant scrutiny.
This 2024 draft class is weak regarding running back talent, giving Barkley even more prominence in the free-agent market.
Minnesota paid Dalvin Cook a pretty penny just a few years ago and soon regretted that deal, but with a different general manager at the helm, do they go after a proven commodity like Barkley and throw caution to the wind?