(Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
The New York Giants and Saquon Barkley have had a complicated relationship.
For years, the Penn State product was the undisputed best player, not to mention the face of the franchise.
Now, it seems like he’s no longer going to be wreaking havoc at MetLife Stadium.
According to a report by Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Giants have officially chosen not to use the franchise tag on their former first-round pick.
Giants are not placing franchise tag on RB Saquon Barkley, per sources. Barkley is free to leave.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 5, 2024
That means Barkley is now allowed to leave in free agency.
Shocking as this might seem, it wasn’t that much of a surprise at this point.
It’s evident that the Giants don’t value him enough to offer him the kind of long-term deal he was looking for, let alone give him any guaranteed money.
Barkley had repeatedly talked about his desire to stay with the organization for the remainder of his career, but he was now open to leaving because of the way they treated him.
Running backs have been hurt in the market lately, and they’re the only position that has been devalued despite the uptick in the salary cap.
He has a long history of injuries and isn’t getting any younger, so multiple teams could be wary or hesitant to offer him a long-term deal.
Then again, he’s also proven to be one of the best running backs in the game when healthy, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see various suitors for his services.
Perhaps all he needs to say healthy is to get away from that turf.
The post Giants Have Made A Decision About Saquon Barkley’s Future appeared first on The Cold Wire.