Giants RB Saquon Barkley Addresses Looming Free Agency After Disappointing Season

The veteran is set to hit the open market in the offseason.

New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley spent last offseason in limbo over his contract before he and the team agreed to a one-year deal for 2023. Now that the Giants season is about to end, Barkley’s future is once again a topic of discussion.

At a media session on Wednesday, Barkley said he still wants to remain a Giant, just like he said last year, but it will be up to general manager Joe Schoen to make that decision.

“I’ve mentioned before that I wanted to be a Giant for life, that was a goal of mine when I got drafted, I wanted to leave a legacy here, but it’s out of my control,” Barkley said, via SNY. “Me sitting here and saying I want to be a Giant for life like I did last year doesn’t help or hurt, it’s up to those guys [in the front office].”

New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley is set to be a free agent in the offseason :: Bill Streicher/USA Today network

One major difference between last offseason and this offseason, though, is New York’s record. Last year, the Giants were coming off a winning season and a playoff appearance, while this year they have already clinched a losing record.

New York’s tough season may not be a great sell for a player in his prime like Barkley, and the running back acknowledged that most players would probably look elsewhere. However, Barkley mentioned testing free agency would be about curiosity more than anything else.

“For me, it wouldn’t be seeing what the market would bring,” he said. “Did a fresh start cross my mind? I guess anybody, when you look at the season the way it went, I feel like anybody may want a fresh start, not just saying somewhere else but a clean slate. If I hit the open market, that was God's plan.”

Barkley has played in 13 games this year, producing 1,145 yards from scrimmage and eight total touchdowns, rushing and receiving. With 84 rushing yards on Sunday, he would total over 1,000 rushing yards for the fourth time in his career.