Dec 4, 2022; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley (26) prior to the game against the Washington Commanders at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
NFL: Washington Commanders at New York Giants
(New York, NY) — There will be no long-term contract between star running back Saquon Barkley and the New York Giants.
“It is what it is,” Barkley tweeted at 3:54 PM, with six minutes to go before the deadline for such a deal to be struck.
The expectation now is that Barkley will not sign the franchise tag worth $10.1 million guaranteed, and he will not report to training camp next week. Barkley cannot be fined for not attending.
Will he officially hold out into the season? It’s hard to tell at this stage.
Giants general manager Joe Schoen stated in the past that the team is prepared to have Barkley play this season on the franchise tag. The New York Post reported that the Giants’ offer included $19.5 million guaranteed in a multi-year deal, but Barkley’s asking price was somewhere north of $22 million.
As for Barkley, he hasn’t ruled out the possibility of sitting out the season, although it’d be surprising to see things reach that point.
The 26-year-old finished fourth in the NFL with a career-high 1,312 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns last season.
