Could Saquon Barkley really holdout in the 2023 season?

We’ve known that Saquon Barkley hasn’t been happy about his contract situation for a while. He says he wants to be ‘a Giant for life’, but he’s anything from being that at the moment.

Despite having been franchise tagged by New York back in March, Barkley still hasn’t signed the deal, and unless the two parties agree to a long-term contract by July 17, the running back will be playing on the $10.1 million franchise tag or sitting out the season.

In a statement, Barkley refused to rule out the latter, expressing his frustration with the team’s front office. Barkley, who rushed for 1,312 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2022, accused the Giants of “misleading” and “untruthful” leaks about negotiations, with reports he turned down deals with annual average values of $12.5 million to $13 million.

The unfortunate problem for Barkley, as he stated, is that the Giants now hold all of the leverage in these negotiations, with general manager Joe Schoen even stating way back in March that he would be comfortable with Barkley playing on the franchise tag.

Regardless of money, the threat of a potential superstar deciding not to play next season is very real. And, we’ve been here before. Former NFL running back Le’Veon Bell, arguably the best running back in the league at the time, sat out the 2018 season, after refusing to sign the franchise tag in a contract dispute with the Steelers.

However, Bell has since repeatedly has said he regrets his decision as his career never was the same again. The impact such an action could have on Barkley’s career, particularly given the longevity issues surrounding modern running backs, may be catastrophic.

The state of the running back market is currently the worst it’s been. Miles Sanders’ four-year, $25.4 milllion contract with the Panthers was the most lucrative contract signed by a running back this offseason, which was filled with big names being franchise tagged to suit the market rate, such as the Raiders’ Josh Jacobs, who also hasn’t signed his tag, and the Cowboys’ Tony Pollard.

The Giants love the role Barkley plays in the team, and the player himself believes that he offers more value than the typical running back. But both sides seem way off on an agreement, which could have huge implications for their seasons.