The New York Giants kept running back Saquon Barkley out of NFL free agency last offseason by using the franchise tag on him. One year later, Barkley may regret passing on the final multi-year offer New York made to its star player.

Barkley didn’t receive the franchise tag for the second consecutive year, with New York refusing to place the tag that would’ve kept Barkley for the 2024 season on a one-year deal worth more than $12 million guaranteed. However, it’s an offer that the Pro Bowl running back previously turned down that he might struggle to beat or even match this time around.

During the 2023 offseason, New York reportedly made a proposal a multi-year deal worth up to $19.5 million guaranteed. If he hit incentives in the contract, he would’ve earned more than he could’ve if the Giants placed the franchise tag on him in consecutive years. Instead, Barkley is heading into NFL free agency and the market might’ve only gotten worse for running backs.

According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, NFL sources indicated that Barkley might be the one running back in free agency who could clear the $10 million annual salary mark. The former No. 2 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft wants a lot more than that, but many around the league seem skeptical of that happening.

Saquon Barkley career stats: 5.211 rushing yards, 35 rushing touchdowns, 2,100 receiving yards, 12 receiving touchdowns in 74 games
While a lifeless Giants’ offense had plenty to do with his decline in production last season, Barkley also averaged under 4 yards per carry for the second consecutive season. He has played 30 games in the past two years, but there still remain questions about his long-term durability entering his age-28 season.

It also doesn’t help Barkley that this year’s free-agent class includes Derrick Henry, Josh Jacobs, D’Andre Swift, Tony Pollard and Austin Ekeler. While he will likely be the highest-paid player in the group, it appears increasingly likely that turning down the Giants’ offer might prove a bit costly for Barkley.