This is one window the Giants are highly, highly unlikely to open for Saquon Barkley.
Teams in the NFL on Tuesday can start placing the franchise tag on players, a two-week period that extends through March 5.
Unlike last year, when the Giants tagged Barkley after failing to come to a long-term deal, there is no real sentiment whatsoever that they are interested in doing that this time around.
It is simply a matter of dollars and sense.
Last year, the franchise tag for a running back was $10.1 million.
If tagged again, Barkley would command a 20 percent increase in salary, a $2 million bump up to right around $12 million for the 2024 season.
Ask yourself this: Do you believe general manager Joe Schoen, when assessing this situation, feels Barkley earned a 20 percent raise based on what he did in 2023?
Barkley remained healthy all season in 2022 — for the first time since his rookie year of 2018 — and rushed for a career-high 1,312 yards.
The Giants, in the first year of the Schoen/Brian Daboll regime, were one of the league’s surprise teams, going 9-7-1 and winning a playoff game.
In 2023, Barkley missed three games with a high ankle sprain, ran for 962 yards and the Giants were one of the league’s most disappointing teams, going 6-11. Of course, there are mitigating factors.
