The New York Giants and RB Saquon Barkley are not close on a long-term contract extension as the deadline for franchise-tagged players at 4 p.m. ET on Monday evening looms, Jordan Schultz reported this afternoon. The G-Men and Barkley still have a little bit of time, but things aren’t looking good.
Barkley is seeking a long-term deal worth around $14 million per season, according to reports. The Giants had offered Barkley a deal with $19.5 million guaranteed for multiple seasons, which was turned down. The running back has threatened to hold out Week 1 without a long-term deal. Might that be the case or will Barkley and the Giants seek a trade partner? There’s also a chance the Giants can convince Barkley to play the season under the tag before giving him a new deal.
It’s a tough spot for the Giants. Barkley is coming off his best campaign since his rookie season, rushing for 1,312 yards and 10 TDs in 2022. He tore his ACL in 2020 and was pretty lackluster in 2021 before breaking out again. Last season could have been because the contract extension was looming, and while Barkley is only 26 years old, injuries are still a concern.
If Barkley holds out of camp and into the season, the Giants could bring in a free agent running back. Right now, Matt Breida and Gary Brightwell are behind Barkley on the depth chart at RB. After those two, it’s a pair of rookies in Jashaun Corbin and Eric Gray. With expectations a bit higher for 2023, the Giants wouldn’t want to head into the season with Barkley holding out and Breida as the starting back.
There are a few free agents still available on the market, most notably Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook. If a deal isn’t reached with Barkley, the Giants could explore a trade and then bring in one of those veterans as a stop gap to remain competitive in the run game.
