The Saquon Barkley contract dispute is basically over. Unless he holds out — which does him little good at this point (see: LeVeon Bell) — he’s going to have to play for the franchise tag tender price of $10.091 million this season and then try his luck in free agency again next year.
But it didn’t have to end this way. The Giants repeatedly reached out to Barkley and his reps all the way back to the middle of last season to get a contract extension done.
No agreement could be reached. Either the money or the length — or both — weren’t up to snuff for the Barkley camp. They rejected the early offers that would have reportedly paid him anywhere between $12. 5 and $14 million per year.
From @NFLTotalAccess: How it all broke for the #Giants and Saquon Barkley, as no deal got done. pic.twitter.com/WcGaUBSj1N
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 18, 2023
Unfortunately for Barkley, he didn’t bite and the Giants had to slap the franchise tag on him as Rappport explains in the above video. It could have been him with the big bucks and quarterback Daniel Jones playing under the franchise tag and fighting for a new deal.
Barkley’s gamble backfired as the running back market tanked and now the $10.091 million this year and a possible $13 million next year (should he be tagged again) appears to be his best option.
But the Giants might not tag Barkley again next offseason if they don’t like what they see in 2023. Of course, they can sign him to a team-friendly multi-year deal but that seems unlikely.
Barkley should have taken the money while it was there.
