EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The New York Giants are missing Saquon Barkley more than just on the field during this miserable 3-13 season. It’s in the locker room where some believe there may be the biggest void.

The Giants let Barkley walk as a free agent this offseason, much to owner John Mara’s chagrin. All he did was become the ninth player in NFL history to top 2,000 yards rushing in a season, while doing it for the rival Philadelphia Eagles.

New York, meanwhile, had some leaders calling their effort “soft” by Week 12 and were unconvinced everybody was giving 100%. It left a good chunk of players feeling Barkley’s presence in the locker room was underestimated by the Giants’ brass.

“Definitely a ton. I think they understood it but maybe just didn’t cherish it enough because we had two of them leave — [Barkley and wide receiver Sterling Shepard],” second-year quarterback Tommy DeVito said. “Two guys that were among the most vocal leaders on the offense, guys that have played a ton. Those two guys meant a tremendous amount, but obviously Saquon is my guy. He kind of helped bring me into this whole role and how everything went down. He was kind of my rock through it all. To see him go and how it went down, it was tough. Obviously, it’s a business as well.”

Barkley signed a three-year deal worth $37.75 million deal this offseason, when the Giants never made him an official offer. He was given $26 million guaranteed, which was significantly more than New York offered him at any point, league sources told ESPN.

At least the Giants won’t have to see Barkley potentially break Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record against them in Sunday’s season finale at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles already made the decision to have him and other key starters rest of the playoffs.

New York is finishing off one of the most difficult campaigns in the franchise’s history, having lost a record 10 straight games before last week’s win over the Indianapolis Colts. Not having Barkley has been a factor.

The Giants let Barkley and safety Xavier McKinney, now with starring for the Green Bay Packers, walk in free agency. Both were selected Thursday as Pro Bowl starters.

Barkley and McKinney were both captains last season. Barkley had been a team captain with the Giants each of the previous five seasons. He was the player who others (on both sides of the ball) would look to for advice and guidance in the locker room.

It’s not something coach Brian Daboll wanted to reflect on entering Week 18.

“Yeah, I’m just focused on the guys that are here,” Daboll said. “Again, I’ve said this many times before, I’ve got a lot of appreciation and respect for Saquon. We’re going to work as hard as we can this week to prepare for the Eagles.”

A handful of players told ESPN recently that the veteran running back’s presence as integral in helping keep the Giants together through a difficult 2023 season. After making the playoffs the previous year, the Giants were 2-8 when DeVito stepped in as the starter for injured quarterbacks Daniel Jones and Tyrod Taylor. They kept it together enough to win three straight games and finish 6-11.

“For me the biggest part of losing Saquon was the locker room aspect,” tight end Daniel Bellinger said. “Just having him as a leader and a guy that when there were times like, what do we do, he would be like ‘Go play!’

“He brought an energy that sometimes we needed out there.”

The Giants couldn’t stop the spiral this season. Among the factors was that they didn’t have a player with Barkley’s clout on offense, especially in the second half of the season. Jones was benched and cut back in November. Standout offensive tackle Andrew Thomas was also lost for the season after a Week 6 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Even then, Jones and Thomas were admittedly more lead-by-example guys. Barkley was the Giants’ clear-cut vocal leader for the Giants the past few years.

“The whole locker room,” safety Dane Belton said. “It wasn’t just the offense as far as the leadership perspective. You definitely lose that. And you look at the team, we’re super-young. To that, it can’t help to lose a great leader like that. Definitely think it was a tough loss.”