This week marks the start of the New York Giants’ obligatory minicamp, but star running back Saquon Barkley won’t be there.
In order to avoid missing camp this week, Barkley told ESPN on Sunday that he hasn’t accepted the franchise tag offer the Giants made to him earlier this year.
Barkley still wants a long-term contract from the Giants, and he and the group have until July 17 to come to an agreement.
I think they’re open to talking. I’m open to talking,” Barkley said, via ESPN. “I think at the end of the day, if you really break it down and look at it as a whole, there is no rush. There is still time on the table to get to July 17. July 17 is not tomorrow. It’s not in a week. That is how I look at it.
“Maybe that is the naïve way to look at it, I could be completely wrong. But for me, that’s how I look at it. I could be completely wrong. Hopefully. I trust i
In March, Barkley received a non-exclusive franchise tag from the Giants for a little over $10 million. ESPN claims that earlier this year, Barkley declined a proposal from the Giants that might have paid close to $14 million per season.
Barkley acknowledged that he hadn’t given it much thought up to this point, but when asked what would happen if a deal wasn’t reached by July 17, he stated he would think about sitting out.
Barkley’s fifth season with the Giants saw him run for a career-high 1,312 yards and score 10 touchdowns. With 57 receptions, he tied for the team lead and helped the Giants reach the postseason for the first time in his career.
It’s unknown what kind of contract Barkley is seeking, but it’s more than $14 million annually. Christian McCaffrey, a rushing back with the San Francisco 49ers, earns well over $16 million annually, making him the highest-paid running back in the NFL. Barkley would become the third-highest paid running back in the NFL with a $14 million contract.
If there is a “deal that’s fair to both sides,” he stated on Sunday, he will be willing to sign it. But it’s unclear if that will happen before the deadline of July 17.
Suggested Read: Heat mascot available for Game 6 after being punched by Conor McGregor, briefly hospitalized
