NFL

Giants not placing franchise tag on Saquon Barkley in potential end of an era

By
Social Links for Ryan Dunleavy
Published March 5, 2024, 11:04 a.m. ET

Saquon Barkley’s time with the Giants is one step closer to reaching the end.

The Giants are not going to franchise tag Barkley by Tuesday’s 4 p.m. deadline, according to a source, leaving only six days for the two sides to work out an extension before free agency opens Monday.

But free agency would not necessarily mark the end of a six-year union because the two sides could come back together next week if Barkley doesn’t get the type of free-agent offer that he is seeking or if the Giants decide to beat his best offer after exploring lesser options at running back.

Barkley was angry when the Giants tagged him last July but ultimately played on the one-year, $10.1 million deal without skipping even one practice.

The Giants are not placing the franchise tag on Saquon Barkley.
The Giants are not placing the franchise tag on Saquon Barkley. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST

The 27-year-old two-time Pro Bowler would have been angrier at another tag ($12.1 million) because he sees this offseason as his last chance to cash in on a multi-year contract.

General manager Joe Schoen still was floating the tag possibility as leverage last week at the NFL combine, but it is not believed that an offer was made by either side during the front office’s meeting with agent Ed Berry in Indianapolis.

It seems the understanding was to let Barkley test the market and find out his true value after a relatively small gap on the Giants’ best offer of $23 million guaranteed could not be closed over the 69 weeks since the first offers were exchanged.

The Texans could be the biggest spenders in a crowded free-agent running back class, where Barkley, Josh Jacobs, Derrick Henry, Tony Pollard and Austin Ekeler all could change teams.

If not the Texans, Barkley could land with an NFC East rival like the Eagles or Cowboys as he prioritizes a chance at playoff runs and finally playing behind an offensive line that could allow him to put up big numbers.

The Giants ranked No. 30 in scoring last season and Barkley accounted for 10 of the offense’s 25 touchdowns.

Letting their best playmaker walk certainly would be a bold choice, especially with another bona fide weapon, tight end Darren Waller, strongly considering retirement.

It is curious now that the Giants did not trade Barkley for an asset last October, during a 2-6 start.