ESPN Analyst Makes Bold Suggestion Regarding What Giants Should Do with Saquon Barkley
Yup, he went there.
"He" is ESPN studio analyst (and former Giants beat writer) Dan Graziano, who, in speaking about the New York Giants contract impasse with running back Saquon Barkley, actually suggested that if the Giants truly wanted to play hardball, they should consider rescinding the $10.1 million franchise tag and instead spending the money on a Dalvin Cook or Ezekiel Elliott instead.
Graziano, who also quickly added that he doesn't think the Giants will rescind the tag (spoiler alert: they won't), "If you really want to play hardball, and if your position is, 'We don't have to pay the running back at this level that he's looking for,' there are options. You could rescind a franchise tag that's not signed and get Dalvin Cook for less than $10 million, or Ezekiel Elliot, or somebody that's out there."
The suggestion didn't sit well with co-hosts Dan Orlovsky and Damien Woody, both former NFL players. Both opined that there might be a mutiny if the Giants went to such extremes.
"It's too early in the morning for this, man," Woody said, shaking his head. "This is nothing against Dalvin Cook, who I think is a fine running back, but Saquon Barkley was the Giants, particularly on offense.
"Think about it. As a player in the locker room, you go out, you rescind a franchise tag, and you let Saquon Barkley go. Do you know what that would do inside that Giants' locker room? It might be mutiny."
Orlovsky agreed.
"Listen, if Joe Schoen, their general manager, and Brian Daboll, their head coach, did this, they should send in their letters of resignation because their locker room would be done. And I'm part joking, part serious about that one.
"I don't think they would because they're both incredible at their jobs, but their locker room would be done. You could never stand in front of your room again and say, 'You're gonna get what you earn,' or 'We're gonna make sure we take care of our own.' Saquon has ridden through with the Giants through some really lean times."
Orlovsky and Woody are spot on with their take. If the Giants even contemplated moving on from Barkley, the time to do so was before free agency when the two sides were reportedly miles apart.
Now? The draft has taken place with most teams having their rosters set and their salary cap dollars spent. And for as good as Barkley was last year, the chances of him finding a new team that's able to pay him would be slim without some cap gymnastics taking place.
Instead, the Giants, who have continued to insist they want Barkley back, have backed off their previous "hardball" stance in which they pulled their last contract offer to the running back before the start of free agency.
That offer, reportedly worth $14 million APY with incentives, is reportedly back on the table, and the expectation is that both sides will continue to engage in discussions to see if they can't get a deal done by the July 17 deadline for teams to close long-term deals with franchised players.
Barkley has insisted several times that he's not looking to re-set the market for running backs with his new contract, reiterating that as recently as Sunday after his youth football camp.
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The main sticking point in the contract discussions is believed to be the guaranteed money. Although there have been no reports of what the Giants have offered in terms of guaranteed money or contract structure, the likelihood of Barkley accepting a deal that offers anything less than the sum of the 2023 and 2024 franchise tags ($23.27 million according to Over the Cap).
The Giants have said they are comfortable with Barkley playing on the franchise tag this year. Barkley, meanwhile, did not rule out skipping training camp or the season if the two sides don't reach a deal by the deadline.
"We love Saquon. He knows how I feel about him, he knows how we feel about him collectively, but we’re going to handle the business inside with him," assistant general manager Brandon Brown told reporters Wednesday, declining to reveal any specifics regarding where talks stood between the two parties. "I’m excited whenever he’s back, but I know he’s taking care of his business right now."
Brown praised Barkley for his maturity throughout the process, adding that there wasn't too much concern about there being hard feelings if the two sides didn't agree on a new deal.
"I think when you're dealing with someone who is extremely mature like Saquon, you can separate the personal and the professional," he said. "I think that's when you have honest and open conversations. You take the feelings out of it. You're able to establish common ground. It doesn't mean you will agree, but that's what I appreciate about him. He can listen, and he can digest the information we're giving him, and he can tell us his feelings as well."
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