EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Working again Saquon Barkley, confronted with the belief that this Sunday may very well be his remaining sport with the New York Giants, on Wednesday reiterated his want to stay with the staff for the rest of his profession.
“I’ve talked about earlier than that I wish to be a Big for Life,” Barkley mentioned. “That was a objective of mine once I obtained drafted. I needed to depart a legacy right here, nevertheless it’s out of my management.”
Barkley, 26, is enjoying this season on a revised franchise tag and is ready to turn into a free agent after Sunday’s finale. He mentioned he hasn’t heard concerning the group’s intentions.
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New York (5-11) has the choice to make use of a second franchise tag on Barkley at $12.1 million. The working again, who has 924 speeding yards this season, is open to negotiating a brand new deal earlier than the beginning of free company, regardless that the 2 sides could not come to an settlement final yr.
“I am nonetheless as open as I used to be earlier than,” Barkley mentioned. “I simply need one thing that’s honest. … However like I mentioned, I get it. It is a enterprise. If it is not right here, hopefully it is another place.”
Barkley simply needs the Giants to shoot straight at his exit assembly subsequent week. He is about to complete his sixth NFL season with the staff, and the 2018 No. 2 choose is aware of he is working out of time to land a profitable second contract.
“I do know that if I will strike, I’ve to do it now,” Barkley mentioned. “That is actually in all probability my final alternative to get a second deal. After that, the best way they view working backs and deal with working backs, it is probably not supreme if you happen to’re it that method.
“I’d undoubtedly like to get a second deal.”
He mentioned a second straight franchise tag just isn’t supreme, nevertheless.
“Clearly I do not assume any participant needs to get franchise-tagged,” Barkley mentioned.
It is not a slam dunk, contemplating Barkley is averaging simply 4.0 yards per carry this season behind an embattled offensive line. The Giants did not make the playoffs for the fifth time in six seasons since his arrival and he missed three video games due to a excessive ankle sprain — the fourth time in six seasons he has missed time to harm.
The Giants might simply determine to let Barkley take a look at his worth in free company, which might make Sunday’s sport at MetLife Stadium his remaining one with Large Blue.
It is one thing he is making an attempt not to consider.
“No, clearly that could be a chance. A whole lot of that’s out of my management,” Barkley mentioned. “I simply attempt to preserve the primary factor the primary factor.”
Barkley is not the staff’s solely veteran whose time may very well be coming to an finish. Broad receiver Sterling Shepard, the longest-tenured Giants participant and certainly one of Barkley’s closest associates, has determined to deal with his state of affairs in a different way, as he is set to turn into a free agent after this season.
Shepard is making an attempt to soak all of it in, understanding that Sunday is probably going his remaining sport for the staff that drafted him within the second spherical of the 2016 NFL draft.
“After all,” Shepard mentioned. “It has been an important run. This season did not go the best way we’d’ve appreciated it to go, definitely not me, as effectively. It is one thing that I take into consideration, for positive. I am wanting ahead to embracing it and taking all of it in.
“It has been nice from high to backside. Not everybody has that [Michael] Strahan story, leaving with that ring on their finger and having some good seasons behind them. However I’ve loved each minute of it and I am very appreciative of this group for all they’ve carried out for me and my household. It is really a blessing.”
Shepard, 30, has performed sparingly this season. He has 369 catches for 4,077 yards and 23 touchdowns in his eight seasons with the Giants.
