NFL Rumors: Saquon Barkley’s cryptic social media activity indicates RB’s unwillingness to play for Giants

Did Saquon Barkley confirm that he won’t play for the New York Giants in the 2023 NFL season?

Two tweets suggest that he might skip the team’s upcoming campaign. First, BroBible NFL Writer Dov Kleiman shared that Barkley removed any reference to the Giants on his social media bios.

Second, MLFootball shared Barkley’s response to a tweet that reads:

“When Daniel Jones had his 5th-year option declined, he didn’t run to a podcast and start crying. He put on his big boy pants, kept his mouth shut, and took the Giants to the playoffs. That’s what real leaders do.”

The comment from the last tweet refers to Saquon Barkley’s recent appearance in The Money Matters Podcast, wherein he had an expletive-filled reply about his leverage.

"My leverage is I could say, 'F**k you' to the Giants, I could say, 'F**k you to my teammates.’ And be like, 'You want me to show you my worth? You want me to show you how valuable I am to the team? I won't show up. I won't play a down.' And that's a play I could use. I might have to take it to this level."

After failing to secure a long-term extension with the Giants, Barkley has two options: sign the franchise tag offered to him or skip the 2023 season.

The tag for running backs is a one-year, fully guaranteed deal worth $10.01 million in 2023. The value has decreased because Le’Veon Bell signed a tag worth around $12 million in 2017.

Bell could be Barkley’s inspiration in sitting out 2023. After refusing a second tag worth $14.5 million in 2018, Bell signed a four-year, $52.5 million deal with the New York Jets.

Meanwhile, Barkley’s plight is a by-product of the running back market’s devaluation. Last year’s leading rusher, Josh Jacobs, did not get a long-term extension from the Las Vegas Raiders.

Dalvin Cook, Ezekiel Elliott, Leonard Fournette, and Kareem Hunt remain free agents.

Where will the Giants’ offense go without Saquon Barkley?

The Giants reportedly offered Barkley a three-year extension worth $11.5 million annually and guaranteed money of up to $23 million. However, the two-time Pro Bowler’s asking price was at least $13 million annually.

Considering his performance last season, Saquon Barkley has leverage over the Giants.

He had a bounce-back season, finishing with 1,312 rushing yards and ten touchdowns. The former Penn State standout also tallied 338 receiving yards.

Those numbers accounted for 29 percent of the team’s yards on offense last year. His production also helped the Giants reach the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

Quarterback Daniel Jones finished second in rushing yards last year with 708. While he proved his mobility, not having a legitimate threat like Barkley will reduce his opportunities in open space.

Without Saquon Barkley, the Giants will face an uphill battle even in their division alone, especially against the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles.