Saquon Barkley will be a Giant this season. Beyond that, the picture is murky for the player who has repeatedly said he wants to be a “Giant for life.”
After nine months of negotiations, Barkley and the Giants failed to reach an agreement on a long-term extension before Monday’s 4 p.m. deadline for players on the franchise tag. So Barkley now will be forced to play this season on the $10.1 million franchise tag (or another negotiated one-year deal), unless he follows through on a threat to sit out the season.
The Giants will have the ability to tag Barkley again next year for a $12.1 million salary, but there’s a long road to that point. First, the biggest looming question is when Barkley will rejoin the team.
Players under contract will report for training camp on July 25. But Barkley won’t be under contract until he signs the franchise tag tender, so he can skip training camp without incurring any fines.
