Giants in No Rush to Extend Saquon Barkley Right Now

This off-season was supposed to be all about New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley's agents putting the finishing touches on a new multiyear extension to continue as one of the franchise's faces.

Instead, it's been six months since New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley tore his ACL on the Soldier Field's grass turd, and five months since the star running back had his surgery, putting all talks of such a contract on hold pending Barkley's recovery.

But for Giants team president John Mara, his feelings regarding having Barkley for the long-term haven't changed.

"I said it at the end of the season and I’ll say it again: We hope he’s going to be a Giant for life and at the appropriate time we’ll start those discussions," Mara said during a video conference call with reporters Wednesday.

The appropriate time may not be until next year, as the team has yet to get its first up-close and personal look at Barkley going through football drills and probably won't until training camp at the soonest. And that's why Mara said the team is in no hurry to do anything as far as extending Barkley's deal, which is entering his fourth season.

The Giants, who are expected to pick up the option year in Barkley's rookie deal by the May 4 deadline, would ideally like to see Barkley, who has now missed parts of the last two seasons due to injury, make it through a full year before investing in the former Penn State star.

But to reach that point, they have to see just how close Barkley is to being his pre-injured self.

"We fully expect him to be as good as new. I mean, if anybody is going to spend 100 percent of his efforts to rehab, it will be Saquon just knowing what type of motivation he has and desire he has," Mara said.

But that optimism isn't enough to cause Mara to budge off his stance of wanting to wait to open contract negotiations with Barkley.

"We’re not in any hurry to do that at this point in time, particularly after the money we just spent," he said.

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