Saquon Barkley Speaks Out After Not Landing New Deal With Giants

Saquon Barkley on Monday was among the mass of NFL running backs frustrated that three premier players didn’t agree to long-term contracts before the NFL’s franchise tag deadline.

The New York Giants placed the franchise tag on Barkley in March and the two sides didn’t come to an agreement on a deal beyond the 2023-24 campaign. Barkley has not signed his franchise tag tender, and there’s growing speculation he could stay away from the team when training camp starts.

Barkley took to Twitter on Monday afternoon and shared his disappointment.

“It is what it is,” Barkley tweeted.

Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs and the Dallas Cowboys’ Tony Pollard also didn’t come to long-term agreements with their respective franchises. Pollard, who is set to replace Ezekiel Elliott as Dallas’ top back this season, did sign his franchise tender, which serves as a one-year, $10 million pact.

Barkley wasn’t the only one to express his feelings after the passing of the deadline. A handful of the game’s elite running backs — Derrick Henry, Jonathan Taylor, Najee Harris, Christian McCaffrey, etc. — all weighed in in support of Barkley and others. Former New England Patriots receiver Julian Edelman offered a tweet of support, as well.