At the end of his fifth year in the NFL, what is the situation with Saquon Barkley’s contract? With free agency potentially awaiting him in 2023, how much could Barkley earn in terms of salary and bonuses as a free agent? Let’s take a look at Barkley’s current contract, his potential earnings as a free agent, and his current net worth.
Saquon Barkley’s Contract Details
After being selected second overall in the 2018 NFL Draft, Barkley signed a four-year contract worth $31.195 million. That entire contract was guaranteed at signing and contained an opportunity for the New York Giants to exercise a fifth-year option.
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The Giants decided to exercise that option, and Barkley earned $7.217 million in base salary for the 2022 season. That takes his total earnings on his rookie deal to $38.602 million.
Does Barkley Have any Bonuses in His Contract?
There were no performance-related bonuses in Barkley’s rookie contract. The bonuses included in the deal were his signing bonus and two roster bonuses in Years 3 and 4. The signing bonus was worth $20.767 million and prorated across the four-year rookie deal at $5.192 million per year. The roster bonuses were worth $2.656 million in Year 3 and $3.984 million in Year 4.
There was no signing or roster bonus in the fifth-year option. That was paid entirely as a base salary.
What Could Barkley’s Next Contract Look Like?
It will be fascinating to see where Barkley’s next contract comes in. The 2022 season saw the star running back post a career-high in rushing yards, but he was less efficient across a number of categories than in his incredible rookie season. Barkley finished 2022 with 1,650 total yards and 10 rushing touchdowns but averaged just 4.4 yards per touch, the lowest of his career.
Barkley’s current market value estimate from Spotrac places his value at around $12 million per year on a four-year deal. The sports contract website compared Barkley’s value to the contracts of Joe Mixon, Alvin Kamara, Dalvin Cook, and Christian McCaffrey. However, his performances over the last two years have been around 10% below those players in the two years prior to them signing their deals.
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It’s been reported that the Giants would like to bring Barkley back in 2023. If they can’t come to an agreement on a long-term contract, then New York could consider placing the franchise tag on him. The current projected value of the franchise tag for RBs is around $10 million based on a $225 million salary cap.
Therefore, it would not be that expensive for the Giants to get another year of control with Barkley by utilizing the franchise tag. However, they also reportedly want to re-sign Daniel Jones. If they want to keep both, they will need to sign at least one to a longer-term contract.
Barkley’s Net Worth
Estimates of Barkley’s net worth vary from site to site. Some estimates have it as high as $40 million when taking into account his career earnings and endorsements. That estimate seems high, given that his NFL career earnings to this point are $38.602 million. Other estimates place Barkley’s net worth at around $10 million.