Giants’ Barkley on future with team: ‘It’s really, truly out of my control’

If Sunday’s win over the Eagles was his final game, Giants RB Saquon Barkley went out in style. 

He had 96 total yards and two rushing touchdowns, which gave him six rushing touchdowns for the season. 

Barkley finished the season with 962 rushing yards, 38 shy of what would have been his fourth 1,000-yard season; he had team-highs of 10 total touchdowns and yards(1242) from scrimmage.

After the win over Philadelphia, Barkley, who spent all six of his NFL seasons with the Giants, was asked about the possibility of Sunday being his last game with the team.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I feel like that’s something that you reflect on when it’s all said and done. Like I said over there in an interview with TV, I can’t control that. If it is my last game, playing here, if it is, it was a fun six years. Made a lot of great memories, but it’s not like the last time I’m ever playing football. I can’t control that, so I’m not letting my emotions. If I knew that it was my last game, I probably would feel a little different, but like I said, I have no idea.”

Last offseason, the 26-year-old received the franchise tender from the Giants, which he did not sign, and after the two sides could not come together on a long-term, there was talk that Barkley would be a holdout; ultimately, the two sides agreed on a one-year deal worth $10.1 million fully guaranteed, including a $2 million upfront signing bonus. However, Barkley did not get a “no franchise tag” clause, meaning the Giants can tag him again, which is something that GM Joe Schoen did not rule out. 

Barkley knows he has no control over what the Giants do at this point.

“I’m kind of numb to it now,” he said. “I did the whole process last year; I know the dates. I know everything. There’s nothing I can do about it. It’s really, truly out of my control; it’s up to them.”

Barkley, who played in 14 games this season, might not get the long-term deal he desires from the Giants. If he doesn’t, and the Giants don’t tag him, it should be interesting to see what the market would be for the two-time Pro Bowler.