The New York Giants and Saquon Barkley are approaching a deadline. The franchise-tagged running back must sign an extension with the Giants by Monday, July 17, or he will be forced to play out the 2023 campaign on the $10.1 franchise tender. As the clock winds down, Barkley has added an interesting new dynamic to negotiations.
Barkley had previously used Roc Nation for his football negotiations while Creative Artists Agency (CAA) handled his marketing work. However, according to Pro Football Talk, Ed Perry of CAA was added to Barkley’s NFL team in mid-June.
Saquon Barkley Nearing Franchise Tag Extension Deadline
NFL players can change agents for any number of reasons, but it seems clear that Barkley isn’t pleased with how his contract talks with the Giants have progressed.
New York beat the buzzer by signing quarterback Daniel Jones to a four-year deal just prior to March’s franchise tag deadline, allowing New York to instead deploy the tender on Barkley. The 26-year-old has yet to sign his tag or report for any offseason activities, including mandatory minicamp. Barkley can’t be fined since he isn’t technically under contract.
New York is believed to have offered Barkley $13 million annually in March. However, the Giants made it clear if Barkley rejected that offer, it would be taken off the table, according to PFT, which adds that Barkley was instead looking for something like $16 million annually.
The Giants’ proposal would have included $26 million over the first two years of the contract, which is more than the $22.2 million Barkley would be scheduled to earn if New York tags him again next season. However, the Giants’ most recent offer only includes $19.5 million in guarantees, as Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post reports.
A $16 million annual salary would have made Barkley the NFL’s second-highest-paid RB behind Christian McCaffrey, but Barkley said in June that he isn’t looking to reset his positional market.
“As I have previously stated, I’m not looking to set any contract records,” Barkley said. “I’m not demanding to be the highest-paid player at my position. I understand the market.
“My goal is just to be compensated respectfully based on my contributions to the team on the field and in the locker room. I’ve been in talks with the Giants throughout the offseason. If at some point there’s a deal that is fair to both sides on the table, I’ll be ready to sign.”
What Are Barkley’s Options Once the Extension Deadline Passes?
Earlier this week, ESPN’s Dianna Russini suggested that Barkley could continue to hold out if he doesn’t land a long-term deal from the Giants, indicating that his availability for Week 1 “will be in serious question.”
Barkley wouldn’t stand to gain anything by not playing in 2023. He’d sacrifice more than $560,000 for each game he misses, and he could find himself in the exact same situation next offseason when the Giants could deploy the franchise tag again.
Barkley could look for small tweaks to his franchise tender. While the one-year length can’t be altered, Barkley could theoretically ask for a higher single-season salary or request a no-franchise tag clause for 2024. But given that the Giants hold nearly all the leverage in negotiations, Big Blue has little reason to concede much.
Barkley and his team seem to have misread the market at a time when hefty running back contracts are dwindling. This offseason, the top three free agent backs — Barkley, Josh Jacobs, and Tony Pollard — all received the franchise tag.
Miles Sanders collected the largest multi-year deal at $6.35 million per year, while David Montgomery was the only other RB to get more than $6 million annually. Meanwhile, veterans like Dalvin Cook and Ezekiel Elliott were released, and Aaron Jones accepted a pay cut to remain with the Packers.