Saquon Barkley is still in contention for a new contract with the New York Giants. The NFL professional had already had a few offers from his team on the table, but always rejected them. From a sporting point of view, however, both parties should soon come to an agreement.
The Giants will start their pre-season training next Monday. Only players who have a valid contract with the organization are allowed to appear at the start of training. Saquon Barkley does not currently belong to this group.
With the running back’s rookie contract expiring in March, the G-Men wanted to give him the non-exclusive franchise tag that would keep him in the Big Apple for another year. However, Barkley turns down the day and wants to sign a long-term agreement instead.
As reported by “ESPN” journalist Adam Schefter, among others, Barkley does not intend to sign the franchise tag before Monday, which means that he voluntarily foregoes the training sessions.
Incidentally, if no agreement is reached by July 15, Barkley would have to sign the non-exclusive franchise tag. His annual salary would then be just under $10 million. In the negotiations, the New York native is said to have demanded at least $14 million.
NFL team still hoping for a happy ending
Although the contract talks are dragging on, optimism seems to prevail in New Jersey. Team owner John Mara said last month that he hopes Barkley “remains a Giant throughout his career.”
General Manager Joe Schoen also emphasized in interviews that he wants to continue working with Barkley. According to reports, all parties are interested in a long-term solution, just not finding each other on the salary.
The reluctance of the Giants is understandable. Barkley has struggled with injuries in three of his four NFL years. In the preseason, the 26-year-old finally played through and had a total of 10 touchdowns.
