For Saquon Barkley, his decision to return to the New York Giants amounted to what he felt in his heart.

The veteran running back agreed to one-year, incentive-laden deal to return to the Giants despite an offseason of failed long-term contract negotiations. The move was a surprise twist in the offseason saga of running back value, especially juxtaposed against the reported holdout by the Las Vegas Raiders' Josh Jacobs.

Barkley's presence at training camp should be huge for the Giants. He ranked seventh in total scrimmage yards this past season with 1,650 yards and also scored 10 rushing touchdowns. And he's a big reason why quarterback Daniel Jones got a huge four-year, $160 million contract this offseason.

But despite a solid season, Barkley's future in New York looked murky after he was given the franchise tag and could not come to a long-term deal with the team before the July 17 deadline. Before he eventually signed his new contract, Barkley pondered the idea of holding out for the season, though admitted in the same breath it was something he could never do.