Giants, Saquon Barkley agree on 1-year, $11 million deal on eve of training camp

Saquon Barkley (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

It took until the day before training camp but it turns out the New York Giants will have their Pro Bowl running back in attendance after all. 

New York agreed to terms with Saquon Barkley on a one-year $11 million deal that will allow the former second-overall pick to bypass the franchise tag in 2023 according to Ian Rappaport of NFL Network. The deal is more than the $10 million the back would have gotten on the franchise tag and includes a $2 million signing bonus.

The two sides could not agree on a long-term contract extension following last week’s missed deadline for franchise-tagged players to negotiate long-term deals. Instead, Barkley could only opt for a short-term deal that gives him more stability while the Giants gain more flexibility and a full audience for the start of camp. 

This would also allow New York to be able to tag Barkley again next season should negotiations continue to falter following the 2023 season. In 2022, Barkley ran for over 1,300 yards with over 1,600 yards from scrimmage. The former Penn State standout helped the Giants win their first playoff game in over a decade while being a key cog in the offensive resurgence along with quarterback Daniel Jones. 

Even with long-term questions still persisting, Barkley’s new deal is a sigh of relief for the fans of Big Blue as they prepare for their second training camp under Brian Daboll. 

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