Amid negotiations for a new contract, Giants running back Saquon Barkley is reportedly so displeased with the notion of playing the 2023 season under the franchise tag that he could sit out the team’s Week 1 matchup against the Cowboys. But after a report emerged detailing an offer New York supposedly made for $13 million per season, Barkley took to Twitter to refute the claim.
ProFootballTalk‘s Mike Florio reported that the team’s offer was $3 million per year shy of Barkley’s desired salary. Florio also noted that the Giants originally had planned to place the franchise tag on quarterback Daniel Jones and sign Barkley to the $13 million-per-season extension. Instead, the team inked Jones to a contract extension, and placed the tag on Barkley, with the expressed condition that the contract offer for Barkley would be pulled if the tag was placed on the star running back.
Not long after that report was published on Wednesday afternoon, Barkley shared two cap emojis while retweeting details of the story, indicating the report was not correct.
— Saquon Barkley (@saquon) July 12, 2023
Barkley, 26, has spent his entire pro career with the Giants after the team selected him with the No. 2 pick in the 2018 NFL draft. He was the league’s Offensive Rookie of the Year in his debut season, and after battling injuries in the subsequent three years, he enjoyed a resurgent ’22 campaign. Barkley started 16 games for a Giants team that surprised many by making the playoffs, totaling 1,650 yards from scrimmage with 10 touchdowns.
