Saquon Barkley and Giants Cannot Agree to Long-Term Deal

Why It Matters: Barkley is among the greatest at his place.

A two-time Pro Bowl choice, Barkley has been a mainstay of the Giants’ offense for the reason that group drafted him No. 2 total in 2018, and he gave the group an identification because it moved on from the longtime quarterback Eli Manning.

He was named the offensive rookie of the yr in his first season, and his explosive runs helped flip him right into a face of the league, at the same time as ankle and knee accidents stored him out of 21 video games from 2019 by 2021.

Barkley bounced again final season to assist lead the Giants (9-7-1) to their first playoff look for the reason that 2016 season. Behind his 1,312 speeding yards on 295 carries (each fourth greatest within the N.F.L.) and 10 speeding touchdowns, the Giants had been a top-five speeding group and scored 21 touchdowns on the bottom in contrast with 17 passing.

The group’s determination to supply Barkley the franchise tag has been some extent of debate in N.F.L. circles, with even members of the Giants’ rivals talking up on his behalf. In April, Cowboys defensive finish Micah Parsons argued on Twitter that Barkley is the centerpiece of the Giants’ offense. “The scheme on Monday morning is we well not let SAQUON BARKLEY BEAT Us!!,” he wrote, including “Pay him!”

The Background: Teams are averse to long-term offers for working backs.

Barkley is probably going in search of a deal on par with the very best earners at his job.

His four-year rookie deal was price $31.19 million and the group picked up his possibility for $7.2 million final season.

Christian McCaffrey of the 49ers has the highest common wage for a working again at $16 million, and Alvin Kamara of the Saints is incomes $15 million. Derrick Henry of the Titans, Nick Chubb of the Browns and Joe Mixon of the Bengals every earn a minimum of $12 million per yr on their offers.

Barkley scoffed at a report final week that mentioned he sought $16 million yearly and has continued to load social media accounts with photographs from his low season exercises.

But he could also be negotiating laborious for each his private recreation and to pressure higher market worth for working backs, whose common compensation has been declining.

“The trend right now is not to pay running backs, so everyone is like, ‘OK, we don’t have to do it either then,’” Chargers working again Austin Ekeler mentioned, including that it will take a prime performer to carry out or signal an enormous long-term deal to reverse the development.

Josh Jacobs of the Raiders and Tony Pollard of the Cowboys additionally failed to achieve long-term offers with their groups and are anticipated to play below the franchise tag, the common wage of the highest 5 gamers at that participant’s place. The determine for working backs pales compared to the cash for quarterbacks ($32.4 million this yr), offensive linemen ($18.24 million) and even tight ends ($11.35 million).

What’s Next

If Barkley accepts the Giants’ tag, the 2 sides can not negotiate a long-term deal till after the top of the common season.

If he doesn’t settle for the tag, Barkley can maintain out and never play. He wouldn’t be docked pay for lacking coaching camp dates however he would lose out on paychecks if had been to take a seat out of video games. The Giants might additionally rescind the franchise tag, a extremely unlikely transfer that might make Barkley an unrestricted free agent.

The extra possible consequence: Barkley holds out briefly to make identified his displeasure identified however finally ends up reporting to camp. He has repeatedly mentioned he’d prefer to retire as a Giant and shifted his illustration to facilitate negotiations. He is at present represented by Kim Miale of Roc Nation and Ed Perry of Creative Artists Agency.

When the common season is completed, the Giants and Barkley can choose up talks that may possible finish in a deal getting finished. He has been a stabilizing character in a locker room that has seen three totally different head coaches in Barkley’s tenure, and the group’s reliance on the working assault of Barkley and quarterback Daniel Jones received’t be diminished any time quickly.