So much for Saquon Barkley being a ‘Giant for life’ [Update]

It’s official. Based on NFL Community’s Ian Rapoport, the New York Giants won’t give operating again Saquon Barkley the franchise tag. He’ll hit the open marketplace for the primary time since coming into the league in 2018.

Barkley enters a free-agent class loaded with operating again expertise. With most NFL groups following the Giants’ resolution to not tag their operating backs, the market is loaded with big-name veteran expertise. Large names like Derrick Henry, Josh Jacobs, Tony Pollard, Austin Ekeler, and Ezekiel Elliott are set to hit the open market firstly of the brand new league yr.

Of this group, Barkley is third behind Derrick Henry and Josh Jacobs in dashing yards, averages the fourth-most yards per rush try, has the second-most receptions, and boasts the fourth-most receiving yards.

Barkley has spent the final six seasons with the New York Giants. The previous Penn State operating again grew to become the primary Giants participant to steer the NFL in yards from scrimmage since Tiki Barber in 2005. He additionally set the franchise’s rookie file for yards from scrimmage, edging out Odell Beckham Jr. If that is the top of Barkley’s time in a Giants uniform, he’ll end fourth all-time on the Giants’ dashing checklist with 5,211 yards.

The New York Giants are doubtless parting methods with longtime operating again Saquon Barkley.

ESPN’s Jordan Raanan mentioned throughout an look on 98.7 ESPN Radio that the Giants won’t tag Barkley for a second time, adding “It looks like that is headed for Barkley to hit free company.”

Barkley was drafted by the Giants second total in 2018, successful Rookie of the Yr and making two Professional Bowls in his six seasons with the Giants. New York determined to tag Barkley on the finish of the 2022 season as an alternative of permitting the again to hit the open market, retaining his skills for an additional yr. Barkley had beforehand expressed curiosity in being a “Big For Life” throughout the season, however the final calendar yr of contract negotiations has left the just about 27-year-old operating again jaded. Barkley has since declared that “loyalty means nothing” within the NFL and that if he thinks about his present state of affairs, he “would go insane.”

When requested concerning the potential of being tagged once more this upcoming offseason, Barkley responded as a shell of his former optimistic self.

“They did it final yr. So I’m numb to it,” Barkley said. “I don’t have any emotions towards that in any respect. When you’re gonna do it, simply don’t wait till March 5. Simply get it over with. If not, let me go. Easy.”

The 2-time Professional Bowl operating again had a down yr any approach you slice it. His 3.9 yards per dashing try had been the second lowest in his profession amongst wholesome seasons. His receiving effectivity so extremely lauded throughout his rookie season remains to be down, a full two yards per goal shorter than his career-high season three years in the past. Amongst operating backs in 2023, Barkley ranked 58th amongst 68 qualifying backs in dashing DYAR (min. 50 dashing makes an attempt) and sixteenth amongst 40 qualifying backs in receiving DYAR (min. 35 targets). Inside PFF’s grading system, Barkley ranked forty fifth as a rusher (69 RBs, min. 50 makes an attempt) and twenty fourth as a receiver (38 RBs, min. 35 targets).

That didn’t cease the Giants from utilizing him as their offensive engine. New York gave Barkley the ball practically 300 instances throughout the 2023 season. No different Big cracked 100 touches; solely 4 even broke 50. Barkley’s 288 touches had been eighth in all of soccer this previous season. In his 5 wholesome seasons (plus the 2 video games in his 2020 season shortened by harm), the Giants operating again has 1,489 profession touches, cracking the 300-touch mark twice.

The talk over operating again contracts is well-tread and exhausting to re-hash. Final yr’s operating again market cycle confirmed how determined high quality operating backs are for a payday. After Barkley, Tony Pollard, and 2022 main rusher Josh Jacobs all performed this season on the franchise tag, operating backs took to X/Twitter to voice their outrage.

Christian McCaffrey called the tagged trio “three of the very best PLAYERS” within the league. Austin Ekeler said operating backs had been being artificially devalued by analytics. Najee Harris pointed out that groups want operating backs to win. Derrick Henry argued operating backs needs to be taken out of soccer in the event that they’re going to be financially mistreated. Former operating again Le’Veon Bell taught us about the communist undertones of A Bug’s Life.

Groups ended up being confirmed proper of their resolution to sit down pat and never pay out, although. Barkley had his down yr. Pollard, an environment friendly backup who used to play alongside Ezekiel Elliott and his bloated contract, posted the bottom yards per dashing try of his profession and couldn’t beat his 2022 dashing yard totals dispute seeing 60 extra carries. Jacobs acquired banged up, missed 4 video games, and noticed a career-low in yards per rush (3.5) and yards per contact (4.1).

The few who’re legitimately definitely worth the capital funding at operating again from a team-building perspective – like present NFC Champion Christian McCaffrey – are solely in a position to get their contracts beneath the correct circumstances. The San Francisco 49ers will pay McCaffrey the league’s highest running back contract at over $16 million APY and nonetheless construct a useful offense as a result of they pay their quarterback Brock Purdy just over $1 million. That’s a luxurious. Kansas Metropolis doesn’t have that luxurious with the half-billion-dollar man Patrick Mahomes on the helm, in order that they have former seventh-round choose Isiah Pacheco carry the load at $1 million per yr. He outperformed Barkley by practically each metric in 2023, efficiency-wise and analytically.

Will or not it’s truthful when Kansas Metropolis ultimately screws him over and leaves him excessive and dry? Completely not. These backs have the largest workload within the league and receives a commission a fraction of what they’re owed. However that’s the present state of the league’s cap state of affairs. Whether or not or not it’s to retain longtime veteran presences or reward the fruits of low-cost, early-career labor, operating again financials must be modified. With out it, we lose the prospect to have superior moments, the place Barkley is usually a “Big For Life” and proceed to rep a metropolis that appreciates him.