NFL Trade Rumors: Saquon Barkley to leave Giants? Superstar RB makes bold move ahead of 2023 NFL Draft

Saquon Barkley entered the 2023 NFL offseason seeking a new contract with the New York Giants after his rookie deal officially expired.

After the two sides failed to come to an agreement on a long-term contract, the Giants decided to place their franchise tag on Barkley. The move prevented him from becoming an unrestricted free agent and potentially signing with a new team.

While placing the franchise tag on Saquon Barkley theoretically locks him in as their running back for the upcoming season, that may not be how things play out. The star running back reportedly declined to sign the franchise tender as he apparently plans to sit out the beginning of the Giants' offseason program.

While placing the franchise tag on Barkley keeps the Giants in relative control of his short-term future, it doesn't guarantee that he will be their running back for the season. He's prohibited from signing with any other team this year, but he can also choose to sit out and not play for the Giants either.

If Barkley refuses to sign the tender, he will be ineligible to participate in any of the Giants' team activities in 2023, including practices and games. He will not be paid for the 2023 NFL season if he chooses to sit out.

Saquon Barkley could very well be frustrated with the Giants' decision to place the franchise tag on him instead of signing him to a long-term contract. Quarterback Daniel Jones entered the offseason in a similar situation, but was rewarded with a four-year deal worth $160 million.

The running back is within his rights to continue negotiating a new contract in New York, despite them placing the tag on him. He is also allowed to potentially request a trade.

Tagging Saquon Barkley seemed like a way for the Giants to keep him with the team this year, but their plan may not be working out the way they had hoped.

How much will the franchise tag pay Saquon Barkley in 2023?

Saquon Barkley in action with the New York Giants

The franchise tag is essentially a one-year contract at a predetermined price that the player and team have no control over. The value is calculated by one of two methods, whichever works out to a higher number.

The first is by multiplying the player's salary four times from the previous season. The other is by taking the average of the top-five highest salaries of any player in their position for the upcoming season.

If Saquon Barkley decides to sign the franchise tender for 2023 with the Giants, he's scheduled to make just over $10 million. Josh Jacobs and Tony Pollard each received the exact same running back franchise tag structure this year.