New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen has at least laid out a road map when it comes to addressing the future of star running back Saquon Barkley.
Speaking with reporters in Mobile, AL for the Senior Bowl, Schoen revealed that he and Barkley spoke on the Friday following the conclusion of the Giants’ 6-11 regular season earlier this month and stated his intentions to begin working with the rusher’s representation during the 2024 NFL Combine in Indianapolis from Feb. 29-March 3, per multiple reports.
Schoen made it known that he doesn’t want to depend on the franchise tag every season, which was used last year in a modified capacity to keep Barkley in blue for the 2023 campaign. After the two sides were unable to agree on a long-term deal last offseason, Barkley ultimately agreed to play under a one-year, $11 million pact where he rushed for 962 yards with 10 total touchdowns.
With free agency looming, Barkley has already expressed his dissatisfaction with the possibility of being tagged for another season rather than securing the sizable payday that has been projected to come his way for quite some time despite the litany of injuries he’s dealt with.
Both Barkley and Giants brass have said the right things in recent months, specifically the desire to have the running back remain with the organization for his entire career. But Schoen has mostly transmitted radio silence over the last few months, forcing Barkley to seriously consider a future where he would be wearing a different uniform.
“It never crossed my mind until last year after I got tagged. Up until that moment, I really believe that I was gonna finish my career as a New York Giant,” Barkley told Complex’s Zion Olojede last week. “You know, that was a goal of mine. And that’s still in play. I have so much respect for the Mara family and the Tisch family and everyone in the Giants organization.
“They know that but once you get to this point, you go to your contract negotiation and you go through the tag process, you realize how much of a business it is. And I remember vets always telling me this and you know I believed them, but you don’t really know something until you go through it. So could I see myself in another uniform? Yeah, it’s possible.”
