Giants’ Saquon Barkley Negotiations: A Risky Game
The New York Giants and Saquon Barkley, the franchise-tagged running back, have until July 17 to come to an agreement on a multi-year extension. However, according to recent reports, there has not been much progress in the talks since the draft, and the negotiations are not currently being addressed with much urgency.
The Importance of Saquon Barkley to the Giants
Saquon Barkley is the most productive offensive player for the Giants and ran for a career-high 1,312 yards in 2022, despite having injuries in the past. He was the focal point of New York’s offense last year and is expected to continue carrying a heavy workload in 2023.
However, the Giants are facing a risk in extending Barkley. With a positional value as a running back, the team has been weighing the risks of offering Barkley a big contract compared to the franchise tag. They are unsure whether to submit an offer of similar value as the $13MM per season offer they pulled back and is currently weighing its options given the running back position’s current landscape.
The Sticking Point: Guarantees
The parties remain “no closer than ever” with respect to hammering out a new deal, with the main sticking point being the matter of guarantees, as there have been no hard figures to date from any of the Giants’ offers in that regard. Barkley’s importance to the team is beyond question, but the risk of offering a big contract is not worth him, especially with the team’s investment in quarterback Daniel Jones and their improved group of pass-catchers.
Playing on the tag this year and next would see Barkley earn $22.2MM, as franchise tags are fully guaranteed. This figure represents a logical baseline for guarantees in any hypothetical, multi-year extension. Only two backs – Christian McCaffrey and Derrick Henry – received more than $22MM in total guarantees on their current deals, affirming that making such a commitment, albeit likely in the first two or three years of a longer contract, would be quite significant on the Giants’ part.
Advice for the Giants
If the Giants want to keep Barkley, they have to be willing to commit to him long-term and put the right guarantees on the table. In exchange, Barkley needs to show his commitment to the team by being healthy and productive. The talks will require a give-and-take mentality from both parties, but with no active dialogue taking place, progress needs to be made in the coming weeks to sort out Barkley’s future beyond 2023. The Giants are playing a risky game, but they need to make a calculated decision that can benefit both parties in the long run.
<< photo by Keith Johnston >>
