Photo Credit: GettyImages
The stalemate between Saquon Barkley and the New York Giants has now entered into the month of June as training camp looms. The star running back has been looking for a guaranteed contract and the Giants have been trying to work with him on a contract that they feel is fair. Both sides have been talking but little movement has been made. But the question is will Saquon Barkley be the Giants starting running back when the season begins?
After a solid bounce back 2022 season for both the New York Giants and Saquon Barkley, Barkley entered the off season as a free agent. Barkley was coming off injury plagued seasons and the Giants still picked up his 5th year option heading into 2022. He responded by rushing for 1,312 yards and 10 touchdowns on his way to his 2nd Pro Bowl.
After the season, both he and quarterback Daniel Jones were free agents and entered into contract negotiation. But the Giants and Barkley were far apart on the deal dating back to the middle of the 2022 season when deals were first discussed. Jones got his contract settled just before the franchise tag deadline, which meant Saquon was slapped with the franchise tag in March. While it pays out a little over $10 million this season, it's not the contract that Saquon was looking for, which is why he had yet to sign the franchise tender. What we are left with is an unhappy running back and a worried/ frustrated fan base. Most people feel Barkley is a “real threat” to miss training camp if he doesn't get the contract that he wants. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said of Barkley's contract situation:
"There's no real movement on a contract yet but neither side is panicking because they have about a month until that July 17 training camp deadline. Barkley is due to make $10.1 million. He wants more security on a long-term deal. I'm told his asks have been pretty reasonable. He just wants a good structure and a guarantee. He doesn't want flimsy guarantees, and he wants something that will pay him out in the first couple of years as, you know, a well-accomplished back and Pro Bowl-type player. The Giants ownership really values Barkley. They see him as a potential Giant for life, so could step in to try to get something done closer to the deadline."
It has been reported that GM Joe Schoen and the Giants offered Barkley a $12.5 million per year deal (roughly 25% above the franchise tag). Barkley rejected that offer and the Giants then increased the offer to $13 million with an additional $1 million in incentives which in the end nets to 40% above the franchise tag. However, Saquon does not want a contract that includes non-guaranteed incentives. He wants a guaranteed deal for 4-5 years. From my perspective, it seems both sides are willing to pay and meet close with the numbers. It's how the numbers are distributed that continues to be the sticking point. Barkley just wants a guaranteed contract worth his value and the Giants want to be financially flexible and responsible with a running back that may have some tread on the tires.
So what type of money would it take to lock up Saquon? If Barkley is franchised this year and next year the total for 2023 and 2024 on franchise tags comes to $23.27 million. The Giants recently in contract negotiations with Daniel Jones and Dexter Lawrence have ex the contract with guaranteed money by around 15%. If the Giants hold true, then Barkley's number comes in around 26 million. That seems to be a long way off on the guarantee money Barkley is probably looking for. Well he's not looking for $16 million per year like Christian McCaffrey, he is still looking for that fully guaranteed money on a long-term deal. McCaffrey's contract was $64 million over 4 years, but $30+ million guaranteed. That seems to be the neighborhood where the Giants need to play. Maybe a four to five year deal at $55-60 million but at least $30 million guaranteed.
Photo Credit: Men's Health
Both Schoen and Barkley have been meeting and talking as recently as this past weekend. They have until the July 17th deadline to get a deal done and the fact that they keep in contact and talking is an encouraging sign. Think of this even though Barkley wasn't at camp, he was training with his giants helmet on. He wants to be here and I feel confident that both sides will come to a terms on a deal that's fair for both sides. The Giants want Saquon here and wouldn't have franchised them if they were willing to let him walk. They see him as a long-term, running back and retiring as a Giant. And it's safe to say Barkley wants to be a Giant for life and retire as a Giant. With that in mind, it's likely that both sides will come to terms on a deal before the training camp starts.
Pundits on Sport City have said that the Giants should have paid Barkley before Jones. I strongly disagree with that and you can listen to our latest episode of The Caller's Cookout to hear my reasons why. But long story short, when you have a quarterback that you want to keep you pay him first. It may not be the quarterback that others like, but if you like them you pay him.
Regardless, Barkley is the face of the franchise. He's the most popular player, sells the most jerseys and is the main attraction. Both sides understand this and he will get paid as such. Barkley doesn't want to reset the market, he just wants his value. At the end of the day, pay the man. You won't be disappointed.
