Without tag, Barkley would become a free agent if no deal with New York is reached

The New York Giants are unlikely to us the franchise tag on running back Saquon Barkley, per a report from Adam Schefter.

The Giants used the tag on Barkley last year at a value of $10.1 million. Schefter said the Giants will “explore a deal with him, but they are also unlikely to tag him for $12,109,200.”

That opens the possibility that Barkley, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, could become a free agent if no deal is reached before the free agent negotiating window opens on March 13.

GM Joe Schoen is expected to hold negotiations with Barkley’s agent, Ed Berry of CAA, during the NFL Scouting Combine this week in Indianapolis.

Schoen will be speaking to media from Indianapolis at 10 a.m. on Tuesday. Barkley’s status will certainly be a major topic of discussion.

The Giants have until March 5 to use the franchise or transition tag on one of their free agents. If they aren’t going to use it on Barkley, perhaps they woud use one of the tags on sfety Xavier McKinney. The franchise tag value for a safety is $17.123 million, and the transition tag value is $13.815 million.