The star running back was franchise tagged earlier this year and if Saquon Barkley is not re-signed by New York before the deadline on July 17, the future with him staying as a Giant could be clouded for this upcoming season.
There is enough time left for a deal to get done between both parties, as the All-Pro has not signed his tag yet. He could play on the franchise tag, which would be $10.1 million this season, as Barkley was the engine that made head coach Brian Daboll‘s offense somewhat overachieve and led them to a playoff berth in 2022, where they won nine games.
But it seems things could go south fast if the movement for a deal doesn’t progress in the coming weeks. The idea of Barkley sitting out the season could be in play but so far, that is something that hasn’t been taken seriously yet.
“That comes up in the conversation if something doesn’t get done by July 17,” said Barkley, who also specified that is not something he’s thought about much yet.
Barkley later added about the entire contract situation: “At the end of the day, it’s all about respect. That is really what it is.”
According to ESPN, the Giants had an offer to Barkley earlier in the year that could’ve been worth close to $14 million per season, but it was turned down. Saquon also said this about being tagged:
“Me getting tagged, was I upset about it? Nobody wants to get tagged,” Barkley said. “To sit here and say I was frustrated, I was mad, I was upset, what really got me upset was the stories that got leaked out and how misleading they were and how untruthful they were.
“I feel it was trying to paint a narrative of me, paint a picture of me that is not even true. Not even close to being the truth.”
Barkley told reporters he believes he’s being perceived as “greedy,” when he does want “respect at the end of the day” and wants to remain in the Big Apple as a Giant. When asked about the negotiation process at his AMPT free youth football camp in Jersey City at Caven Point Field, NJ, he wasn’t sure about his optimism level on a deal getting done and said this process has been “eye-opening.”
“Just come to the reality that this is a business,” Barkley said.
However, the 26-year-old running back does deserve the contract he is projected to get, despite the undervalued position he plays. Barkley returned to 2018-2019 form before the injuries derailed his 2020 and 2021 campaigns, as he finished the 2022 season with 1,312 yards and ten touchdowns on the ground.
The former 2nd overall pick from the 2018 NFL Draft has been the face of Giants football ever since his rookie year, as the running back from Penn State was top five in rushing yards last season and was the leader in total yards for the Gmen by a wide margin with 1,650 and was tied as the reception leader with 57 catches. It would be hard to envision Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen letting a player like this go, even if it was financial, as they paid quarterback Daniel Jones and traded for tight end Darren Waller this offseason to retool the offense for 2023.
“I think they’re open to talking. I’m open to talking,” Barkley said. “I think at the end of the day, if you really break it down and look at it as a whole, there is no rush. There is still time on the table to get to July 17. July 17 is not tomorrow. It’s not in a week. That is how I look at it. Maybe that is the naïve way to look at it, I could be completely wrong. But for me, that’s how I look at it. I could be completely wrong. Hopefully. I trust in the Giants that we could get something done.”
The running market has taken a nose dive this offseason, as former high-pedigree players like Ezekiel Elliott, Leonard Fournette, Kareem Hunt, and now recently Dalvin Cook are all on the open market with little movement for teams to sign anytime soon. Not to mention the other running backs that got tagged, include Las Vegas Raider’s Josh Jacobs and Dallas Cowboy’s Tony Pollard, only Pollard has signed his franchise tag deal so far.
Jacobs led the league in rushing yards with 1,653 and Pollard, despite coming off an injury that needed offseason surgery, had a breakout season and cracked over 1,000 yards on the ground. Specifically with Jacobs, it would be interesting how it would impact the market if he became available for trade and how it would affect Barkley’s search for a new contract, as he has stated in the past that he doesn’t want to reset the running back market.
“I see [the running back market]. I’m aware of that,” Barkley said. “I feel like I’m more than that. I feel we finally got to a place where we’re a successful team. We got to start winning games, and I was a big part of that.”
Barkley told ESPN’s Adam Schefter his goal remains being “compensated respectfully based on my contributions to the team on the field and in the locker room.”
“I’ve been in talks with the Giants throughout the offseason,” Barkley said. “If at some point there’s a deal that is fair to both sides on the table, I’ll be ready to sign.”
Saquon hasn’t been at the facility at OTAs and won’t plan to attend the mandatory minicamp from Tuesday to Thursday, June 12-15. Official training camp for the Giants begins ten days after the deadline for Saquon to sign the tag on July 27.
