Giants: 3 reasons New York will return to postseason in 2023
By Hunter Haas
No. 3: Saquon Barkley Motivated To Earn Paycheck
The possibility that Saquon Barkley sits out the 2023 season remains moderate. The star running back has yet to ink a new deal with the team that selected him at No. 2 overall in 2018. However, I’d bet Barkley will suit up regardless of the contract situation.
Sure, Barkley could sit out the entire year, refuse to sign the franchise tag, and then search for a different deal on the open market next offseason. But this is a potentially riskier option than actually playing on the one-year deal. First and foremost, Barkley is slated to make north of $10 million in 2023, which is premier money for a ball carrier.
Next, Barkley has insane momentum coming off the back of his best campaign as a professional. He is a hand-in-glove fit for Daboll’s system and should put up even crazier numbers in Year 2 of the scheme. Few players in the league can impact a game as much as the Penn State veteran.
The Giants can worry about Barkley’s contract situation after the season, but until then, New York should ride him until the wheels fall off. We’ve watched running backs play a crucial role in deep playoff runs before. Don’t rule out the same outcome for Barkley.