With the 2023 season over for the New York Giants, as they missed the playoffs, attention will now turn to their offseason plans. There is a lot of work to do as the coaching staff has numerous positions to fill and the roster will be adjusted.
One of the players people will be keeping a close eye on throughout the offseason is running back Saquon Barkley. Barkley is set to be a free agent again after playing out this past season on a one-year contract.
Last offseason the relationship between Barkley and the Giants was strained. The team placed the franchise tag on him after agreeing to a four-year, $160 million deal with Daniel Jones. Unfortunately, the sides were unable to come to a long-term agreement, as Barkley played the year out on an amended one-year deal worth as much as the franchise tag but with incentives.
NFL News & Rumors: Saquon Barkley & New York Giants Updates
Following the team’s victory in Week 18 over the Philadelphia Eagles, Barkley revealed that he wouldn’t be partaking in the open-door policy the Giants have with exit interviews. He is over all of the talking and will have his agent handle that for him.
“I went through the whole process last year. We talked more than enough last year, to be honest. I’m gonna let my agents handle that,” Barkley said Monday, adding that the team knows where to find him.
Heading into unrestricted free agency for the second straight year, the option does exist for the Giants to use the franchise tag on him again. That is something Barkley is hoping doesn’t happen, but if it does, he is numb to it all at this point.
“They did it last year. So I’m numb to it. I don’t have any feelings toward that at all. If you’re gonna do it, just don’t wait until March 5. Just get it over with. If not, let me go. Simple.” Barkley said at his locker following the regular season finale.
NFL News & Rumors: Saquon Barkley & New York Giants Updates
Given how negotiations went last year, it is hard to imagine a long-term deal being worked out this time around unless Barkley drops his asking price significantly. After another year of wear-and-tear in which he missed two more games for injury, the New York could offer even less money.
Barkley is an important piece of the franchise, both on the field and off of it. Losing him would create a massive void to fill in more ways than one. It will come down to money, but if there is any way for the sides to work out a long-term agreement, the Giants should push for it.
In an important season for head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen, creating one more hole to fill by not retaining Barkley wouldn’t be ideal. If they can get close on numbers, the Giants need to pull the trigger on bringing him back.
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