Team insider Jordan Raanan of ESPN provided an explanation for the New York Giants’ decision not to use the franchise tag, which is estimated to be worth $12.1 million, to keep running back Saquon Barkley before the deadline for such actions on Tuesday.
Raanan was informed by a source regarding the Giants that “they don’t see the value in paying a running back $10M.”It was mentioned in February that Barkley might not be happy with the offers he gets in free agency for a number of reasons. In an era where teams would sooner pay younger, less expensive players, the position is about to be crowded with a select group of well-known veterans, and Barkley, at 27 years old, has an unsettling history of injuries. Most recently, an ankle sprain caused him to miss three games during the previous season.
Barkley shouldn’t anticipate receiving more than “in the $8M-per-year range on a new contract in a tough offseason for free agents,” according to an anonymous NFL general manager who spoke with Raanan.” “Executives, scouts, and agents with experience in running back negotiations” think the two-time Pro Bowl selection might agree to a deal that pays “closer to $10M per season.”
How much Giants general manager Joe Schoen would pay to retain Barkley for a minimum of one more season is unknown. However, after the team concluded the 2023 season with a 6-11 record, it appears that New York may choose to start over by selecting a quarterback Daniel Jones replacement in the draft. Ryan Chichester of Audacy reports that Tiki Barber, a former Giants player and current NFL analyst for CBS Sports, stated on Tuesday’s WFAN “Evan and Tiki” program that “it feels like Saquon Barkley has no chance of re-signing with the” team.