Saquon Barkley will be at New York Giants training camp after all.
The star running back agreed to a one-year deal worth up to $11 million, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported. The deal reportedly includes a $2 million signing bonus.
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The Giants had placed the franchise tag on Barkley, which would have paid him $10.091 million for the 2023 season.
Barkley was one of several notable running backs who got tagged and failed to reach a long-term deal with their respective organization prior to the July 17 deadline. Reigning NFL rushing yards leader Josh Jacobs of the Las Vegas Raiders and Tony Pollard of the Dallas Cowboys were in the same spot, sparking a Zoom call among top running backs over the weekend to discuss the state of their market.
Barkley said on “The Money Matters” podcast last week that he had considered sitting out the entire 2023 NFL season. Instead of holding out, he will instead be at training camp with Giants veterans set to report on Tuesday.
Because Barkley and the Giants did not reach a long-term deal before the mid-July deadline, the only other available contract resolution beyond the franchise tag was a new one-year deal. He is once again scheduled to hit free agency in 2024. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Barkley's current contract allows the Giants to place the franchise tag on him again next offseason.
The Giants drafted Barkley second overall in the 2018 NFL Draft. He was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2018 but was hampered by injuries over the next three seasons. He returned to Pro Bowl form in 2022, rushing for 1,312 yards and 10 touchdowns while helping the Giants earn an NFC wild card spot.