The New York Giants disappointing 2023 season will come to an end on Sunday when they host the (11-5) Philadelphia Eagles. Not even an upset win over their bitter rivals will provide solace to Giants fans on the disastrous season.
This was supposed to be the year where New York closed the gap between themselves and the upper-echelon teams in the NFC. But instead, the gap widened and now there’s a cloud of uncertainty on which direction the franchise will go this offseason.
Now the team has to make some major decisions regarding its roster and the biggest decision it will have to make is regarding 26-year-old running back Saquon Barkley who will be a free agent.
Barkley’s contract situation has been hovering over the team for a year. The two sides were unable to come to terms on a contract extension last year, which resulted in the team giving him the franchise tag that would pay him $10.1 million for the 2023 season.
He would sign the tag just prior to the start of training camp, which had personal and team incentives that would have pushed the total value of the deal to $11 million.
But Barkley would not reach those incentives in large part due to suffering a high ankle sprain in Week 2 that caused him to miss three games.
Now, he and the team are in the same position they were in a year ago, except the star running back is a year older with more wear and tear on his body.
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Is franchising Saquon Barkley again a viable option?
“If they franchise tagged me again, I don’t know. I don’t think any player wants to get franchise tagged. Sometimes the franchise tag is a placeholder to be able to work on a deal later. In my case, it wasn’t last year. So, I mean, if I got tagged again, I think I could give you a better answer or talk about my emotions at that time if it does happen,” Barkley told reporters on Wednesday.
If New York were to franchise Barkley again, he would be paid $12.1 million for the 2024 season. But it’s far from a guarantee that he would sign the franchise tag this time around. He was the consummate professional last year and signed the tag without missing a day of training camp.
But he has realized that the NFL is a business and that everyone is replaceable. Barkley will turn 27 in February and he and his team will likely seek a three-year deal to maximize his earning potential before he turns 30. So, playing another year on the franchise tag where he’ll suffer more wear and tear on his body is not ideal for him or his agent.
However, from the team’s standpoint, head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen seats will be warm heading into next season based on how the 2023 season unfolded. If they suffer through another double-digit loss season in 2024 their jobs could be in jeopardy. Keeping Barkley on a one-year deal while adding some piece in the draft and free agency might be the quickest way to prevent another horrendous season and have job security.
The Giants are in a real conundrum when it comes to Barkley. It’s obvious that Barkley is their bestskill position player, and the team is better with him. But it’s also obvious the team is a long way away from being contenders, and they need massive upgrades throughout the roster, especially to the offensive line. Acquiring these upgrades would be easier this offseason if they’re not paying a running back a lucrative deal.
“I’ve mentioned before that I wanted to be a Giant for life. That was a goal of mine when I got drafted. I wanted to leave a legacy here. But it’s out of my control. I truly have no say. It’s really up to those guys upstairs, to (General Manager) Joe (Schoen) and all those guys,” Saquon Barkley stated.
Right now it’s anybody’s guess on whether he’ll be back with the team next season, which means Sunday’s game against the Eagles could be the end of an era.
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Injuries and a poor offensive line prevented Barkley from having the career he and others were hoping for when they took him with the second overall pick in the 2018 draft. But he still established himself as one of the most talented players in the history of the organization and has been a true professional on and off the field.
Barkley needs 84 rushing yards to achieve his fourth 1,000-yard rushing season in his career. Although he’s always been a team-first player you can rest assured that he wants to achieve this feat.
If Sunday is his last game as a Giant, he’ll be motivated to put on a show for the fans and help his team get a win.