Giants insider adds info to important financial situation
Saquon Barkley has yet to show up to any of the Giants' offseason activities. But even if wanted to, he can't since he hasn't signed his franchise tag and isn't legally allowed to participate. So the question remains, will Saquon be on the Giants in 2023? And if so, then when? Dan Duggan covers the […]
Saquon Barkley has yet to show up to any of the Giants' offseason activities.
But even if wanted to, he can't since he hasn't signed his franchise tag and isn't legally allowed to participate.
So the question remains, will Saquon be on the Giants in 2023? And if so, then when?
Dan Duggan covers the Giants for The Athletic. In a recent mailbag piece, he took questions regarding all things New York. You could probably guess what was atop the list:
Saquon Barkley.
Q: Is Saquon Barkley likely to reach an agreement?
My gut feeling has always been that Barkley and the Giants will get something worked out, but there are no indications they’ve made any progress, answered Duggan. My optimism is based on the fact that Giants were once willing to pay Barkley $13 million per year. So even though they have tons of leverage, I think they’ll decide it’s better to have one of their most important players in the fold and feeling appreciated rather than squeezing him for a few million dollars.
Truth be told, this is negotiating 101. Each side will pander and stand firm until their backs are up against the wall and one or the other has to take exception. The Giants already managed this process during the window to tag players, signing Daniel Jones and placing the franchise tag on Barkley almost simultaneously, just minutes before the deadline. Now they have another date to work against:
The deadline to sign an extension is July 17. If the sides don’t reach an agreement by then, Barkley’s options are playing on the tag or sitting out the season, responded Duggan. There’s no chance he’ll sit out the season, but he likely would drag his feet on signing the tag. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he waits until late in training camp to sign the tag and report.
There’s no upside to declining a reasonable offer at this stage. Even if he has an all-world season, he’ll get franchise tagged again next offseason for a total of $22 million over this two-year stretch.
The silver lining in this Q&A is that Duggan believes both sides want to be together. The Giants have made an effort to keep Barkley and the wishes of both parties are seemingly well-known.
Perhaps this is analogous to a celebrity marriage as a couple works through their prenup.
Only, Giants fans hope things stay cordial in New York.
Featured image via: © Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK
