After Saquon Barkley declined to accept the New York Giants' franchise tag tender, he and the team reportedly came to an early-day Tuesday agreement on a one-year contract.
The one-year contract is believed to be valued more than the $10.1 million Barkley would've earned in 2023 if he had accepted the franchise label, according to several reports.
The contract deal has been regarded to be a temporary fix that benefits both sides. The Giants retain their star running back for at least another season while Barkley gets more more than he'd have earned.
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However, it should be emphasized that the deal does not prevent Saquon Barkley from being traded. The Giants may decide to move the 26-year-old if a suitable offer comes in, but until the end of the 2023 regular season, he won't be able to sign a long-term contract with his new team.
According to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, another aspect of Barkley's unusual new contract is that the Giants might be able to franchise tag him once more the following season.
The Giants have three options for Barkley after the current campaign. They can franchise tag him once again, give him a long-term deal, or let him explore the open market.
Josh Jacobs, a running back with the Las Vegas Raiders who is also wearing the franchise tag but hasn't signed a deal with his organization, will now come under scrutiny.
Barkley led the Giants to the divisional round of the postseason last season by rushing for 1,312 yards and 10 touchdowns while accumulating 57 receptions.
Saquon Barkley is now among the top 10 highest-paid running backs
In 2023, Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers will be the running back with the highest average annual value ($16.01 million). He is followed by Alvin Kamara of the New Orleans Saints ($15 million), and Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans ($12.5 million).
Although in terms of total cash remuneration for this year, CMC is not the highest-paid running back as Bijan Robinson, a rookie with the Atlanta Falcons, is the highest-paid RB in 2023.
Robinson, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, will earn $13.72 million in total cash compensation in 2023, making him the highest paid in his position. Meanwhile, Barkley is in the fourth spot with $11 million.
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