(Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
The 2023 NFL offseason has been home to drama, particularly surrounding player contracts.
There have been countless reports about star players being unhappy, either with their organization, or the current status of their contract.
Saquon Barkley and the New York Giants find themselves in one of these conflicts.
The team decided to place the franchise tag on Barkley, only tying him to the Giants for one more season.
While there were initial reports that both parties were close to reaching a deal, nothing has been set in stone.
In a recent segment on Good Morning Football, Jaylon Smith outlined Barkley’s role on the Giants.
“He is a guy that cares, and he’s the most competitive person, arguably, that I’ve ever met,” Smith said.
What does Saquon Barkley mean to the @Giants organization? @thejaylonsmith pulls back the curtain and tells us firsthand pic.twitter.com/fJSroIkmsE
— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) July 14, 2023
Smith, and many others, believe that Barkley is the heart and soul of this Giants team.
Since his rookie season, Barkley has continued to dominate the position, putting up some of the best numbers across the league.
However, the running back position has been devalued across the NFL, as the trend has indicated over the past several years.
More and more dominant backs have either been cut, or forced to sign less-than-ideal contracts, which has now become the norm.
Will Barkley’s situation with his original team play out similarly to his elite counterparts at the position?
Smith indicated that without Barkley, the Giants would not have made the playoffs last year.
Will he be a part of their team in 2023, as they look to contend for the NFC East title?
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