Barkley was franchise tagged a yr in the past as returned to the Giants for a sixth season following a short holdout and a revised one-year contract. It is now unclear if he’ll return to the Giants for a seventh season. It might have value the Giants $12.1 million to tag Barkley for the 2024 season.
Though Barkley, 27, did not match his good 2022 season wherein he totaled 1,650 yards from scrimmage, Barkley nonetheless was efficient in 2023. He tallied 962 rush yards and 6 dashing TDs, together with 41 receptions for 280 yards and 4 TDs in 14 begins in 2023. Matt Breida was the Giants’ next-leading rusher with 151 yards and one TD.
The Giants can nonetheless retain Barkley, even with different free brokers — together with security Xavier McKinney — set to hit the market. Schoen mentioned he was “pleasantly stunned” that the league’s 2024 wage cap will rise to $255.4 million, which at present affords the Giants near $38 million in cap area, in keeping with Over The Cap.
Barkley’s harm historical past additionally components into the equation. He suffered ankle accidents in each 2021 and 2023, in addition to his torn ACL and MCL in 2020, which restricted Barkley to 2 video games that season. However Schoen mentioned final week on the mix that Barkley’s worth hasn’t diminished within the GM’s eyes.
“I believe the world of Saquon and I nonetheless assume he can play,” Schoen mentioned. “So, my worth for Saquon actually hasn’t modified. Sadly, all through the method, beginning again in November of 2022, we weren’t capable of come to an settlement when it comes to the place we each thought a deal made sense.”