(Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
The New York Giants and star running back Saquon Barkley are in a staring contest as training camp draws near, with the 26-year-old adamant about not signing his franchise tag and the team seemingly sticking by whatever contract offer they’ve sent his way.
At this point, Barkley and the Giants simply aren’t seeing eye-to-eye, and that doesn’t appear to be changing anytime soon, as this could go into the upcoming 2023 NFL season.
As with any star player eligible for a new contract coming off a solid season, Barkley wants to get paid what he’s worth with some long-term security, but running backs aren’t valued the way they once were, and that has made contract talks incredibly difficult.
According to Jordan Raanan of ESPN, Barkley and the Giants could be headed for a parting of ways if he plays on the tag, as it may be one more year for the partnership before the star back looks for another opportunity elsewhere, via ESPN Radio.
“If he plays on the franchise tag…it’s most likely his last season with the New York @Giants.”@JordanRaanan believes @saquon‘s career with Big Blue hangs in the balance. #NYGiants@ColemanESPN | @amberwsports | @ESPNNY98_7FM pic.twitter.com/caK07VFboE
— ESPN Radio (@ESPNRadio) July 14, 2023
If Barkley ultimately folds and signs his franchise tag, the two-time Pro Bowler will be paid a little over $10 million for the 2023 campaign, which isn’t a bad salary for one year, but it’s about security beyond this season while being paid as an elite player.
Barkley is coming off his best season with the Giants and is hoping to finally get paid for his efforts, but he may have to accept the reality that running backs aren’t players that get paid lucrative long-term deals anymore, which can be a tough pill to swallow for such a dominant player.
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