Saquon Barkley was not pleased with how things played out when the New York Giants used the franchise tag on him last offseason. This year, it appears things will be different.
The Giants are unlikely to use their franchise tag on Barkley, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The team is still interested in discussing a long-term deal with the running back, but will not tag him at a value of roughly $12.1 million.
The Giants will speak with free-agent-to-be running back Saquon Barkley and explore a deal with him, but they are also unlikely to tag him for $12,109,200, per sources. https://t.co/ektTdtZSaH pic.twitter.com/PspdR7W0V3
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 26, 2024
Barkley will probably be fine with this news. He was not particularly pleased with how the Giants handled his free agency last year, and explicitly said he did not want to sit around and wait on a franchise tag decision this year. This decision will allow him to test the open market, though a return to the Giants is not off the table.
Barkley turned 27 earlier this month. The running back is coming off a season that saw him rush for 962 yards and six touchdowns, but perhaps more importantly, he was largely healthy and played in 14 games.
