With a looming headline just a few days away, an NFL insider has an update on the New York Giants and Saquon Barkley contract dispute, and unfortunately, it is not good.
The New York Giants are just a little over a week away from the start of training camp for the 2023 season. While the organization did not make huge splashes in the offseason, they did what was necessary to maintain and improve on the playoff team they had last season.
Related: 2023 NFL offense rankings heading into training camp
They added talented Raiders tight end Darren Waller in a trade and retained franchise quarterback Daniel Jones and slapped a franchise tag on Pro Bowl running back Saquon Barkley. While all seemed good heading into April, it was long before the team realized there was an issue with one of their major moves this offseason.
Barkley was hoping to test his value in free agency and is not happy with having a tag placed on him. It was the right move for the New York Giants, but after five seasons and two Pro Bowl appearances, the 26-year-old feels he has earned a long-term big-money deal instead of the one-year guarantee that was placed on him. Because of that, he has yet to sign his franchise tag.
- Saquon Barkley stats (2023): 1,650 total yards, 10 TD
New York Giants and Saquon Barkley at contract ‘stalemate’
The star running back and the organization has reportedly had conversations about a new contract in recent months. But with the RB market at a low and Barkley having turned down a pair of lucrative offers last year, the Giants are not willing to overspend if they don’t have to. However, to gain his own leverage, Barkley has suggested he would be open to sitting out all of this season if he isn’t fairly compensated.
At 4 PM ET on July 17, comes the franchise tag deadline, where a player is either forced to play under the terms of the one-year guarantee or sit out the rest of the season. With the cutoff looming, NFL insider Dianna Russini gave an update on the situation and it is reason for Giants fans to worry.
“As we near the deadline for the Giants and Saquon Barkley to strike a long-term deal, I’m told the two sides remain at a stalemate,” Russini reported on Wednesday.
While there is certainly still time, it has to give New York Giants fans unease that arguably their best player on offense could miss the entire season or be an unhappy member of the roster in a season with some large aspirations.