Saquon Barkley Discusses Impending Free Agency
Saquon Barkley could be playing in his final game with the Giants this weekend, as the star running back is set to hit unrestricted free agency. While Barkley has continually stated a desire to stick with the Giants, the running back admitted that he could be eyeing a “fresh start” elsewhere.
We heard back in November that the Giants and Barkley were interested in a multiyear extension when they could resume talks in January. Barkley told reporters today that he’d still be open to negotiating with the Giants before he even hits free agency.
“I’m still as open as I was before,” he said. “I just want something that’s fair [and] that makes sense. I think I was open and honest about that last year. I still stick by that. But I get it. It’s a business. Hopefully, if it’s not here, it’s some other place.”
Since negotiations stalled, star RB Jonathan Taylor inked a manageable three-year, $42MM deal (including $26.5MM guaranteed) with the Colts. In the meantime, Barkley has battled through a lingering high ankle sprain. Considering the developments, it’s unlikely the Giants would be willing to budge on their previous valuation, and the front office could also choose to buy another year via the franchise tag. Barkley seemed to hint that the ball was in the front office’s court, perhaps a hint that the two sides might struggle to find common ground.
“I’ve mentioned before, I want to be a Giant for life,” Barkley said. “That was a goal of mine when I got drafted. I wanted to leave a legacy here. It’s out of my control. I have no say. It’s up to those guys upstairs, Joe [Schoen, the GM] and those guys. They’ve got to do what’s best for the team, whatever they feel like is best for the team. They’ll make a decision. Me saying ‘I want to be a Giant for life’ like I did last year, it doesn’t help or it doesn’t hurt, so I’ll leave it to those guys.”
