Joe Schoen Says Franchise Tag Still on the Table for Saquon Barkley
Last year, before the start of training camp, New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley, appearing on the Money MAtters podcast, spoke of a difference of opinion regarding how his side viewed his value to the team and how the Giants viewed his value.
Because the two sides couldn't agree, Barkley played the 2023 season on the franchise tag. But while the Giants have not changed their opinion on Barkley's value, the hope is that they can get a deal done to avoid using the franchise tag for a second year.
“I wouldn’t say his value has changed, especially to the organization," Schoen said Tuesday morning at the combine in Indianapolis. "He’s a captain, he’s a leader, he’s a hard worker. I think the world of Saquon, and I still think he can play."
Barkley has since dropped Kim Miale of Roc Nation Sports from his negotiating team and will go strictly with Ed Berry of CAA, whom Barkley added late into the process last year.
Both Berry, whom Schoen said the team has "a really good relationship with" and whom he called a "really good guy," will sit down later this week to see if they can't get something done that benefits both sides.
Despite the additional salary cap space all NFL teams received, Schoen didn't sound as though he was willing to go crazy to ensure Barkley gets his desire to be a Giant for life, though with the extra space--the Giants had been operating based on a projects $241 million cap instead of the $255.4 million cap that was announced last week--there could be a little more wiggle room.
As for the possibility of using the franchise tag, which would cost the team $11.95 million for a running back, Schoen said, "I wouldn't say the franchise tag is off the table."
The Giants are in a bit of a different boat this year than last regarding a potential decision to use the franchise tag on Sauqon Barkley. Whereas last year, they were coming off a winning season and had managed to get quarterback Daniel Jones, their other significant pending free agent, under contract before the franchise tag window deadline. Also, they had the cap space to carry Barkley on the tag.
This year is different. For one, the running back market is shaping up to be flooded with veteran talent, and the draft class is also thought to be a strong one at the position. That means the Giants could allow Barkley to test the market if he agrees to allow the Giants a chance to match any offer he receives (something that some teams might not be receptive to engaging in).
The Giants, who have an estimated $30 million in total cap space, also want to bring back safety Xavier McKinney, whose representation Schoen said they plan to speak with later this week.
McKinney, who was irked last year when he wasn't included in the young talent (left tackle Andrew Thomas and defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence) who got contract extensions despite being at the end of their rookie deals, is thought to want to be paid at the top of the safety market and could very well draw that kind of interest from around the league, creating a scenario where if the Giants are going to use one of the franchise or transition tags on a pending free agent, McKinney will make more sense.
