Running back Saquon Barkley didn’t get the contract he wanted from the Giants this offseason, but he said recently that the lack of an agreement on a long-term deal didn’t do anything to change his long-term goals.
Barkley said that he would still like to spend his entire career with the Giants despite their lack of interest in giving him anything more than $900,000 in incentives on top of the $10.1 million salary he was guaranteed under the terms of the franchise tag. The two sides can’t resume negotiations on a multi-year contract until after the 2023 season, which creates a situation where Barkley feels his “back’s against the wall again” in terms of showing he can produce at a high level.
As a result, Barkley said on Wednesday that he’s only focusing on the present.
“I think I would be doing a disservice to myself to get too caught up in my future and worrying about what’s going to happen and being a Giant for life,” Barkley said, via Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post. “I’ve got to live in the moment, I’ve got to live in the now and . . . let the rest take care of itself.”
The Giants can use another franchise tag on Barkley next year, but the next 17 (or more) games will have a lot to do with any decisions that they and Barkley make come the offseason. The first of those games comes at home against the Cowboys on Sunday night and Barkley will be trying to make a strong opening argument in his bid for an extended future with the NFC East club.
