Running back Saquon Barkley and the New York Giants are racing to agree on a long-term deal before Monday’s 4 p.m. deadline.
If no deal is reached before the deadline, Barkley and the NY Giants would not be allowed to revisit talks for a new contract extension until after the 2023 season.
By 4 p.m. Monday, players designated with the franchise tag must either sign a multiyear contract with the team or play on the one-year tag, which, for Barkley, is $10.1 million for the 2023 season.
Barkley is not expected to sign the tender immediately, if no deal is reached, and this would lead to a training camp holdout. He also has a less favorable option which is to leave the tag unsigned and sit out the season.
The bone of contention between the player and the club lies around the guaranteed minimum pay.
The NY Giants’ above-average pay of $13 million per year passed for Barkley but their guaranteed minimum pay of ($19.5 million) was not good enough for him.
If the two sides cannot agree on suitable compensation, the Giants are from all indications, content to have Barkley play on the tag of $10.1 million and then revisit his contract situation after the season, when they will once again have the option to secure Barkley with the franchise tag, this time for $12 million.
The NY Giants don’t seem all out with Barkley as they were with quarterback Daniel Jones, whose long-term deal negotiation dragged on till the final minutes before he was sealed in on a four-year deal worth $160 million.
However, head coach Brian Daboll, said he was impressed with Barkley, who was the No. 2-overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Barkley rushed for a career-high 1,312 yards and, most importantly, he remained healthy for the entire season, after missing three games in 2019 (high ankle sprain), 14 games in 2020 (torn ACL), and four games in 2021 (low ankle sprain).
But with no improvement in sight, Barkley will have to double his efforts this season to further prove to the Giants or another team, why he demands the high numbers.
He will most certainly be a point of attention this season. Already, Barkley was upset that his offers to the NY Giants leaked out to the media, portraying him as greedy.