Saquon Barkley comments on not reaching contract extension with Giants
Despite holding negotiations up to the deadline, the New York Giants and running back Saquon Barkley did not come to an agreement for a contract extension.
Barkley refused to sign a one-year franchise tag for $10.1 million and with the negotiation deadline passed, it’s possible that he will sit out this season.
Knowing full well what the potential outcomes were when he refused to sign his franchise tag deal, the former Penn State star tweeted: “It is what it is.” Now, the man that accounts for 40% of the Giants’ offensive production will skip training camp, according to Adam Schefter.
In response to the recent trend in the NFL of devaluing running backs, the league’s top ball-carriers took to social media. Although Barkley said little himself after the deadline, he retweeted the strong words of his fellow RBs.
NFL’s top running backs speak up after long-term deal deadline
“This is the kind of trash that has artificially devalued one of the most important positions in the game,” Chargers running back Austin Ekeler replied to an ESPN draft analyst who suggested teams shouldn’t offer running backs big deals past their rookie contract. “Everyone knows it’s tough to win without a top RB and yet they act like we are discardable widgets. I support any RB doing whatever it takes to get his bag.”
“This is Criminal,” 49ers back Christian McCaffrey shared. “Three of the best PLAYERS in the entire league, regardless of position.”
“At this point, just take the RB position out the game then,” Titans star Derrick Henry tweeted. “The ones that want to be great & work as hard as they can to give their all to an organization, just seems like it don’t even matter. I’m with every RB that’s fighting to get what they deserve.”
Out of RB1s that received franchise tag designations, only Cowboys back Tony Pollard inked his deal. Barkley and Raiders running back Josh Jacobs held out and ultimately failed to reach long-term agreements.
Meanwhile, veteran running backs Dalvin Cook and Ezekiel Elliott are still on the free agents market after their teams decided they weren’t worth what they were paying them for 2023 and beyond.
Former Eagles running back Miles Sanders managed to find a four-year deal with the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers locked him in for $25 million. His $6.35 million per year average is certainly on the low end for a recent Pro Bowler.