Giants Country

As Deadline Looms, Saquon, Giants Reportedly Still at a Contract Impasse

Time is running short for both sides to get a deal done.
Patricia Traina|
As Deadline Looms, Saquon, Giants Reportedly Still at a Contract Impasse
As Deadline Looms, Saquon, Giants Reportedly Still at a Contract Impasse

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New York Giants

We're now inside a week before the July 17 deadline for the New York Giants and running back Saquon Barkley to get a long-term deal done to avoid Barkley playing on the franchise tag.

However, as of Wednesday morning, the two sides reportedly are no closer to making that happen than they were at the start of this saga, according to ESPN's Dianna Russini. 

Russini reported that Barkley does not want to play on the franchise tag, which carries a $10.1 million guaranteed total. She further states that if Barkley doesn't get his long-term deal, his availability for Week 1's season opener against the Dallas Cowboys "will be in serious question."

That strategy doesn't make sense, however. For every week of the regular season Brkley would miss, he'd be giving up $594,117 in guaranteed money, which is no small chunk of change, this even though holding out won't change his status since once that July 17 deadline passes, he and the Giants can't do anything further regarding a contract this year.

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Further, at that point, if Barkley insisted on missing games, he could hurt his potential earnings as his stats might not match previous years' outputs.

From Barkley's perspective, such a move would serve to "punish" the Giants for a perceived "lack of respect" for what Barkley has meant to the team since being drafted No. 2 overall in 2018.

But while the running back has repeatedly said he wants to be a Giant for life, he also has made it abundantly clear that he doesn't want to play on the franchise tag, which despite the guaranteed money, carries a degree of risk should he were to become injured again.

WFAN's Boomer Esiason has been slightly more optimistic about the Giants and Barkley getting a deal done that would average around $14 million annually. But the APY isn't necessarily a true indicator of the contract's value, whereas the guaranteed money and the deal's structure need to be looked at if we're talking sturdiness of the deal.

If a deal isn't struck by the deadline, Barkley will likely skip training camp and sign after the team's final preseason game to prepare for the season.

Update: Pro Football Talk reports that the Giants offered Barkley a deal worth $13 million per year, including $26 million over the first two years, prior to the deadline for applying the franchise tag. However, Barkley was looking for Christian McCaffrey money, which is about $16 million per year.

However, Kim Miale, Barkley's rep, shot down rumors of Barkley wanting McCaffrey money. Barkley himself seemed to shut down the latest report as well.  

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Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.

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