New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley has not signed his franchise tender and is still angling for a long-term deal with the team.
Barkley wants to be paid among the league’s top backs after a Pro Bowl season in 2022 and the Giants are haggling with his demands after seeing how the running back market has waned this offseason.
So, where does Barkley stand among the league’s backs heading into the 2023 season? Pro Football Focus has him ranked sixth behind Cleveland’s Nick Chubb, Derrick Henry of Tennessee, San Francisco’s Christian McCaffrey, Josh Jacobs of Las Vegas and Indianapolis’ Jonathan Taylor.
Barkley is one of the most talented backs on this list; I won’t be debating that. But though his production was solid in 2022, it wasn’t to the level we’ve seen from the players ranked above him. His missed tackle rate has been on the lower side (0.11) in each of the past three years, a number you’d like to see closer to 0.20 for the best backs in the league. Though his yards per carry is up recently, his yards after contact has been below 3.0 in each of the past two seasons. On a positive note, he racked up 36 explosive plays of 10 yards or more, which was the most in his career.
The Giants want Barkley back and he doesn’t have many options other than to hold out, which also may not be the best course of action for him.
Big Blue drafted Oklahoma’s Eric Gray this spring, which was seen as a depth move and one pointing towards the future but if Barkley somehow finds himself sitting out, that pick could factor in big time for the Giants.
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