Saquon Barkley speaks out on potential of leaving New York Giants
The New York Giants used the franchise tag on running back Saquon Barkley last offseason. This was after the two sides could not agree on a contract extension while quarterback Daniel Jones received a lucrative deal.
Barkley will become a free agent this offseason, and while he has always planned on playing for the Giants his entire career, it all remains in the air.
On Monday, he was a guest on ESPN's "First Take" and was open about his future with the Giants. He said his goal has always been to win a Super Bowl with the G-Men.
"When I got drafted here, one of my goals would be, the reason why, you know, the Giants is back on top," Saquon Barkley said. "The reason why we're having a parade in New York. And it just happened one day away so far in my career. And like I said before, I want to be a Giant for life."
Barkley mentioned some of the greatest players to ever play for the New York Giants, who spent their entire careers with the team. While that is the goal, the 26-year-old running back said he has come to terms with the possibility of leaving and giving his all to a new team.
"I mentioned that I want to be in the likes of Tiki Barber, Michael Strahan, Eli Manning," Barkley said. "But the sad part of it is it's the NFL. It's a business. And, if this was my last season, I had a blast. But the beauty of it is there's still a lot left in the tank. And, you know, if I'm not in New York next year and I'm somewhere else, they're going to get a leader."
Saquon Barkley believes he has a lot more football left to play in the NFL, and he is leaving the door open to possibly playing for a new team in 2024.
Saquon Barkley's teammate believes he should have received a contract over Daniel Jones
New York Giants linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux called out the team and general manager Joe Schoen recently for not signing Saquon Barkley. The linebacker appeared with Carmelo Anthony and The Kid on the "7PM in Brooklyn" podcast and said that Barkley was more impactful than quarterback Daniel Jones on the offense.
Thibodeaux believes Barkley's production should have led the team to sign him instead of Jones.
"If you look at the game, the tape, Saquon was responsible for at least 30% of our explosive plays, talking about the year [2022] we won the playoff game," Thibodeaux said. "So, for me and for the integrity of working together and hard work, and we all believe the same things, I feel like Saquon should have got paid first. That’s what I feel."
The New York Giants signed quarterback Daniel Jones to a four-year deal worth $160 million, whereas Barkley signed a franchise tag worth $11 million for last season.