Superstar running back Saquon Barkley would like to remain with the New York Giants but he’s also content if his career path takes him elsewhere.
The conclusion to this saga may soon come to an end with free agency looming. General manager Joe Schoen doesn’t appear keen on using the franchise tag for the second consecutive season and Barkley seems anxious to let the market dictate his value.
Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post recently proposed a potential solution to Barkley that went as follows:
The Giants should take Barkley at his word and let the free-agent market determine his value, with the handshake agreement that he will bring his best offer back to the table before signing elsewhere. Put an end to haggling over whether he is worth approximately $23 million guaranteed on a three-year contract, as the Giants offered at their max, or slightly more, as Barkley sought, per sources.
That means no second franchise tag before the March 5 deadline to keep Barkley from negotiating with other teams. No debilitating $12.1 million charge on the Giants’ salary cap. No more tension if the sides cannot agree on a multiyear contract when they meet later this month.
That’s a risky move for both the Giants and Barkley, but the 27-year-old was receptive to it.
“I wouldn’t be against that,” Barkley told The Post. “That’s fair.”
The problem for Barkley is that he has another injury-shortened season under his belt since the last time he and the Giants negotiated, so Schoen isn’t likely to offer that $23 million guaranteed a second time. It also seems unlikely that any other NFL team would.
Had Barkley taken that deal a season ago, his total guarantees would have been the third-highest among NFL running backs behind Christian McCaffrey and Derrick Henry.
“I’m not hard to work with. I know sources came out to try to make it seem like I’m greedy, but it’s not even close to being like that,” Barkley said. “They know where my heart is. If it doesn’t work out, I get it. Hey, it’s not like my football career is over.”
An open-market valuation for Barkley would be interesting if for no other reason than to put this whole debate to bed. What is the value of a top-end modern NFL running back?
Let’s find out.
