Source: Lionel Hahn / Getty
“It is what it is,” Barkley wrote on Twitter on Monday around 4 p.m. as the window to come to a long-term agreement closed.
He was already unhappy, as anyone would be after Big Blue placed a franchise tag on him in March because he was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent. Plus, the 2022 season was his first playing at least 16 games since his rookie year. And it was his best thus far, as he racked up 1,312 yards with 10 touchdowns and notched 57 catches for 338 yards.
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The two-time Pro Bowler’s tag comes with a $10.1 million yearly salary, and an earlier offer was reportedly closer to $14 million a year, but Barkley’s team still turned it down.
Back in June, Barkley made it clear what he wanted out of his contract, and despite arguably being the best at his position, his goal wasn’t to set some record or be greedy but to be paid his true worth.
“As I have previously stated, I’m not looking to set any contract records. I’m not demanding to be the highest-paid player at my position,”
Barkley told ESPN. “I understand the market. My goal is just to be compensated respectfully based on my contributions to the team on the field and in the locker room. I’ve been in talks with the Giants throughout the offseason. If at some point there’s a deal that is fair to both sides on the table, I’ll be ready to sign.”
Barkley’s inability to ink a more lucrative deal with the Giants is a bad sign for running backs across the league. Las Vegas’ Josh Jacobs and Dallas’ Tony Pollard were also tagged and will make a similar salary as the NFL refuses to compensate the position adequately.
See how Twitter –including some fellow NFL players– are reacting to the Barkley news.
