It seems like Saquon Barkley will be returning home! The New York Giants’ general manager, Joe Schoen, made important announcements at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine. As the running back’s one-year contract ends, his position in the Giants for the upcoming season remains uncertain. However, Schoen’s statements have given new hope for Barkley’s future in New York.

The running back had expressed his desire to remain in the Giants earlier this year, but the team’s salary cap space was the hurdle. But re-evaluating their funds has opened up new avenues for New York. The team might finally reciprocate his feelings with the new cap space favoring Barkley.

Schoen wants to have Saquon Barkley back

At the NFL Combine, Giants’ general manager Schoen had some good news for Barkley fans. He revealed that after calculating the team’s salary cap, he was “pleasantly surprised” that it surpassed their estimated $243 million. Their current cap space of $255.4 million gives a new ray of hope for impending free agents Barkley and Xavier McKinney. And the GM shared this sentiment. “He’s a guy we’d like to have back,” said Schoen.

Last year, Barkley was stamped with the franchise tag, and Schoen hasn’t ruled out that possibility for this year either. He said, “All options are on the table. I’m not saying we’re going to franchise him or not franchise him, but everything’s on the table.” He was speaking on PFT Live. According to ESPN, a second franchise tag will cost $12.1 million, but the Giants favor negotiating a contract.

Will Barkley’s value decrease this year?

Barkley was franchise-tagged in 2023 for $10.1 million after failing to reach a common ground with the running back. But now, with the increased salary cap, the Giants wouldn’t prefer tagging the player, especially for $12.1 million. Schoen clearly expressed that he favors seeking a long-time deal with Barkley.

“I wouldn’t say the franchise tag is off the table,” Schoen said. “I think the new number if we’re going to franchise somebody for the first time at that position is, like, 11.9 (million dollars), and his number’s not much more than that. So, salary cap changes your philosophy on how you’re going to attack things. That’s not off the table. We don’t want to do it. In a perfect world, we don’t want to do that again.”

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Barkley had a good 2023 season with 962 rush yards, 41 receptions, and six rushing touchdowns. The figures and the 27-year-old’s contribution to the game are reason enough for the Giants to value him as an asset. Schoen expressed the same and said he doesn’t feel Barkley’s “value has changed.”

“He’s a captain. He’s a leader. He’s a hard worker. I think the world of Saquon, and I still think he can play. My value for Saquon really hasn’t changed.” 

The 2024 Combine has brought exciting updates from the teams. Be it Payton’s stance about Russell Wilson or Schoen’s good news for Barkley, the stage is set for an exciting offseason ahead.