New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley may be away from the team as his contract situation lingers, but that doesn’t mean he’s not readying himself for the 2023 season.
Barkley joined a trio of players for private workouts this past week, including his close friend and former Giants teammate, Odell Beckham Jr.
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and Seattle Seahawks rookie wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba were also among the group.
The workouts were originally posted to Beckham’s Instagram story and later found their way to YouTube. The video shows the players primarily focused on their strength and conditioning and can be watched by clicking here (warning: NSFW language).
The Giants and Barkley remain engaged in on-again, off-again negotiations on a long-term deal. The superstar running back was reportedly seeking up to $16 million annually and had turned down a deal in the $13 million range.
For a short while, Giants general manager Joe Schoen had moved away from negotiations and seemed content with letting Barkley play out the season on the franchise tag. However, following the 2023 NFL draft, Schoen returned to the table.
“Saquon’s a very good football player, he was a captain last year, he’s a good locker-room guy,” general manager Joe Schoen reiterated during an appearance on Good Morning Football last week.
“I love him. We want him to be here, just got to have a deal where both parties are happy with where you end up, and that’s what we’re gonna try to work for and see if we can get something we can both agree on.”
The Giants and Barkley have until July 17 to reach an agreement on a long-term deal or Barkley will be forced to play out the season on the franchise tender worth $10.1 million.
