Former Nittany Lion Saquon Barkley receives franchise tag
After months of negotiations between Saquon Barkley and the New York Giants, they still haven’t come to an agreement. The band-aid fix? The team placed the franchise tag on the former Penn State running back.
The franchise tag will earn Barkley a guaranteed $10.09 million, which is an increase over his 2022 salary of $7.22 million.
Barkley had to sit by while he had a career year and watch other running backs such as Christian McCaffrey get paid. McCaffrey will earn $16 million on the new deal he signed with the 49ers which is what Barkley was hoping to earn around as well.
The former Penn State running back gave the impression he was not interested in being franchise tagged but when the team’s quarterback, Daniel Jones, came to a long-term agreement with the Giants, it was inevitable for Barkely at that point.
In a Pro Bowl season that saw the Giants return to the playoffs for the first time since 2011, Barkley played in 16 games and ran for a career-high 1,312 yards with 10 touchdowns, this doesn’t even include his work as a receiving back with him hauling in 57 receptions for 338.
Barkley will now have all offseason to negotiate an extension with the Giants. If they can’t come to an agreement between this year and next he could be franchised again, but the price he would be paid would rise 120% from the $10.09 million he will earn in the coming season.
