Crisis averted, right as training camp begins on Tuesday.
The Giants have gotten running back Saquon Barkley to show up to training camp. This comes after the two sides couldn’t agree to a long-term contract by last Monday’s deadline for franchise tagged players. Barkley will get a modestly-adjusted one-year offer to replace the tag.
Surprise! 🚨 🚨 🚨
The #Giants and star RB Saquon Barkley agreed to terms on a new 1-year deal worth up to $11M, sources say, as Barkley gives himself a chance to beat the franchise tag. He gets a $2M signing bonus.
Bottom line: Barkley is coming in & will be at training camp. pic.twitter.com/A5PR7RWLfQ
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 25, 2023
The tag was set to be a one-year deal worth $10.1 million, as is the salary for other tagged running backs like the Cowboys’ Tony Pollard and Raiders’ Josh Jacobs (who has yet to sign his tender). So Barkley is basically getting $900,000 more plus incentives.
The most important development out of all of this, however, is the fact Barkley will now be at training camp. The star running back was to skip camp and assume zero fines for doing so considering he wasn’t under contract with the team (he hadn’t signed his tender).
He could’ve proceeded to show up a few days before Week 1, sign the tender, and play out the regular season, which was a likely outcome. But the Giants didn’t need the mystery of when he would arrive in East Rutherford to be looming over their heads for all of camp and the preseason. With this new deal, Barkley will be back at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center to prepare for a crucial 2023 campaign, in which the Giants will be looking to build on last season’s improbable playoff berth.
