Saquon Barkley quote on Giants free agency leaves door wide open for him to leave
Barkley knows Sunday could be his final game with the G-Men
There are going to be plenty of changes for the NY Giants next season in terms of the roster and coaching staff. It's hard to even think about, but no one knows what's going to end up happening with star running back Saquon Barkley.
Barkley and general manager Joe Schoen didn't come to terms on a long-term extension last offseason, leading to him being placed on the non-exclusive franchise tag. Barkley doesn't want that to happen again and he's no question been thinking about the possibility of signing elsewhere during free agency. He made that much clear while speaking to the media on Wednesday.
Saquon Barkley on possibly exploring the free agent market:
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) January 3, 2024
"Did a fresh start cross my mind? When you look at the season, the way it went, anybody may want a fresh start, a clean slate. If I hit the open market, that was God's plan." pic.twitter.com/LgeQPAWsmM
Saquon Barkley and the Giants may be headed toward a split this offseason
"I’ve mentioned before, I want to be a Giant for life. That was a goal of mine when I got drafted. I wanted to leave a legacy here. It’s out of my control. I have no say. It’s up to those guys upstairs, Joe (Schoen) and those guys. They’ve got to do what’s best for the team, whatever they feel like is best for the team. They’ll make a decision. Me saying ‘I want to be a Giant for life’ like I did last year, it doesn’t help or it doesn’t hurt, so I’ll leave it to those guys."
- Saquon Barkley via the New York Post
With the Giants at 5-11 on the year, it's another losing campaign for Big Blue and frustration has reached a new level for countless guys. Barkley was a beast in 2022, playing a massive role in the Giants going 9-7-1 and taking down the Vikings in the Wild Card Round.
However, 2023 has been a different story for him, as Barkley missed a large chunk of the season early on due to a high-ankle sprain suffered against the Cardinals in Week 2. In 13 games for the Giants in '23, Barkley has rushed for 916 yards and four touchdowns, adding 39 receptions for 229 yards and four more scores through the air.
Against the Eagles on Sunday, Barkley needs 84 yards to reach 1,000 for the fourth time in his career. Barkley has been a stud for Big Blue since joining the team in 2018, but injuries have haunted him. This could prevent Schoen from giving in to his contract demands this offseason too. No one wants to see Barkley play for a different team next year, but it's definitely something that could happen.
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