The New York Giants once again have to figure out a new contract for Saquon Barkley. After placing the franchise tag on him last offseason, they have to decide what price they are willing to pay to keep the star running back.

General manager Joe Schoen continued to praise Barkley, who posted 1,242 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns last season, leading the Giants in both stats for a second consecutive campaign. His talent and leadership are undeniable but he and the team have yet to see eye-to-eye on a deal.

“I wouldn’t say his value has changed, especially to the organization. He's a captain, he's a leader, he's a hard worker. I think of the world of Saquon and I still think he can play,” Schoen said. “So, my value for Saquon really hasn't changed. Unfortunately throughout the process, starting back in November of 2022, we weren’t able to come to an agreement in terms of where we both thought a deal made sense.”

Saquon Barkley rejected a multi-year deal in 2022 in the hopes of getting more average annual value on his deal. The Giants have since stood pat and offered him the franchise tag worth $10.1 million, which he signed for the 2022 season in late July.

Recent reports stated that it won’t be another franchise tag. Schoen said that the tag isn’t off the table but said that “in a perfect world, we don’t want to do that again.” The Giants' lead executive knows that a long-term deal for Barkle

 

The Giants have no identity on offense without Barkley. His dual-threat playmaking is their only viable option with Daniel Jones still having not yet become a legitimate passing threat. But allocating a lot of money to a running back is backward logic in the modern NFL. There are signs that other teams are interested in him, making the decision for New York a difficult one. Ponying up and losing him for nothing would both bring their own consequences.

Schoen also wants to retain safety Xavier McKinney in free agency. The decisions he has to make regarding the Giants roster are anything but easy. Each one has a ripple effect and he has to be strong in his convictions about which ones are the most manageable.