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Saquon Barkley has two options: play on the franchise tag worth just over $10 million or not play at all.
The New York Giants running back is in this position because he and the G-Men were unable to reach a long-term deal before Monday's 4 p.m. deadline – Barkley and the Giants can now only negotiate salary for 2023.
But a holdout is now officially on the table.
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New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley walks across the field before an NFL wild-card football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr, File)
In an interview recorded on July 11, six days before the deadline, Barkley admitted that most of his leverage is gone, but the one bit he still has is the fact that he's probably the team's best player.
"My leverage is, I could say ‘F--k you’ to the Giants, I could say ‘F--k you' to my teammates and be like, ‘You want me to show you my worth? You want me to show you how valuable I am to the team? I won’t show up. I won’t play a down.’ And that’s a play I could use," Barkley told the "The Money Matters" podcast.
Barkley said he never thought he would sit out because "what really matters is winning," but at the same time, he needs to look out for himself.
New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley reacts as he is introduced before an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
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"Anybody [who] knows me knows that’s not something I want to do. Is it something that’s crossed my mind? I never thought I would ever do that, but now I’m at a point where it's like, Jesus, I might have to take it to this level."
"Am I prepared to take it to this level? I don’t know. That’s something I have to sit down and talk to my family, talk to my team [of advisers] and strategize about this – can’t just go off of emotions."
But that does seem like an outside chance because the franchise tag has given Barkley the motivation to succeed on the gridiron again.
New York Giants' Saquon Barkley plays during the second half of an NFL wild-card football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Jan. 15, 2023, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr, File)
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"I am at a place where if I do go on the field and I have to play and prove [myself] again, I'm fine with that," he continued.
Barkley finished last season with 1,312 rushing yards, averaging 4.4 yards per carry on 295 attempts, with 10 touchdowns on the ground. He was also tied for receptions on the team with 57.
Big Blue went 9-8-1 last year, winning their first playoff game since Super Bowl XLVI in 2012.
Fox News' Scott Thompson contributed to this report.