Saquon Barkley, Giants Holding Contract Talks After Franchise Tag, GM Joe Schoen Says

The New York Giants placed their franchise tag on Saquon Barkley on Tuesday, but that hasn't changed the team's commitment to the star running back.

Giants general manager Joe Schoen told reporters that negotiations with Barkley over a long-term contract are "ongoing," as the team has made offers to him and he hopes to speak with Barkley again on Wednesday.

The franchise tag for running backs is valued at $10.1 million for the 2023 season. Barkley played the 2022 season on the fifth-year option on his rookie deal, which was worth $7.2 million, and he proved himself to be worth much more than that.

Barkley ranked fourth in the NFL with 1,312 rushing yards while adding 10 touchdowns on 295 carries to help lead the Giants to their first playoff appearance since 2016. It was an impressive bounce-back campaign for the 26-year-old after he was hampered by knee and ankle injuries in the previous three seasons.

While the Giants had the opportunity to lock up Barkley on a long-term deal already, they chose to sign quarterback Daniel Jones to a four-year, $160 million contract on Tuesday and place the franchise tag on the speedster to stop him from hitting the open market.

New York was expected to go through a rebuild last season, but the team surprisingly went 9-7-1 under first-year head coach Brian Daboll. By keeping Jones and Barkley in the fold, the Giants are in a good spot to build on that momentum in 2023, but they have other areas to address.

Schoen noted that team is engaged in contract negotiations with Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. New York will also be seeking help on the outside after releasing receiver Kenny Golladay, which will result in a $14.7 million dead cap hit this year.