Giants ought to look to offer Saquon Barkley an extension now that NFL draft’s over
There was no rush, no urgency, nor has there been a necessity for one. However no less than now there aren’t any extra draft picks for Giants normal supervisor Joe Schoen to make.
There are sufficient arguments to justify each side of the To Signal Or Not To Signal debate concerning Saquon Barkley and a contract extension. It has felt because the finish of final season just like the irresistible power assembly the immovable object.
Todd Gurley stands tall because the cautionary story of the perils of signing a working again to a long-term contract.
After which there’s the Devaluation of The NFL Operating Again.
After which there’s Barkley rejecting, during the bye week last season, an extension that will have paid him greater than $2 million per than the $10.1M franchise tag that’s on his plate proper now.
It’s a bottom-line enterprise. At all times has been, at all times might be. However right here is one other backside line:
Barkley is the face of the franchise not named $40M Man Daniel Jones. Franchise quarterbacks get the large cash. It isn’t a working back-driven league.
Barkley is a revered determine within the Giants’ locker room. John Mara loves him. Barkley represents the Giants the best way each proprietor needs any participant, particularly a marquee participant, would characterize his franchise.
It might make cents for Schoen and the Giants to refuse to budge now off the franchise tag. However does it make sense for the membership to take a my-way-or-the-highway stance that at finest disappoints Barkley and at worst alienates him?
And, oh, by the best way, he occurs to be their finest participant, and nonetheless occurs to be greater than a working again as a result of he’s a weapon for Jones within the passing recreation.
The Giants can level to his damage historical past and the everpresent actuality that confronts all working backs. Barkley can argue that there’s loads of tread left on his tires as he enters his prime.
If Barkley was supplied and rejected extensions that will have paid him within the $12.5M and $13M common annual worth, let the Giants revisit the provides and let Barkley revisit the chance to simply accept and think about it as a compromise olive department.
Schoen drafting Oklahoma working again Eric Grey — who’s 5-foot-9 ¹/₂, 207 kilos, with three-down upside (99-827-5 TDs receiving) — in Spherical 5 is fodder for conspiracy theorists.
“I watched loads of Saquon, so with the ability to simply be taught from him, be taught the issues that he did as a rookie being profitable within the league, I feel that’s gonna be an incredible factor for me,” Grey mentioned.
Barkley acknowledged that he by no means had any illusions about resetting the working again market. He by no means was going to method Christian McCaffrey’s $16M AAV, or Alvin Kamara’s $15M AAV. However he has each proper to imagine he belongs within the following neighborhood:
Dalvin Cook dinner $12.6M.
Derrick Henry $12.5M.
Nick Chubb $12.2M.
Joe Mixon: $12M
Cook dinner will flip 28 in August. Henry is 29. Chubb is 27. Mixon will flip 27 in July, and just lately pleaded not responsible to a misdemeanor cost of aggravated menacing.
Barkley has 247 profession receptions for 1,820 yards and eight TDs, forward of Cook dinner (221-1,794-5), Chubb (119-990-4), Henry (127-1,244-3) and Mixon (231-1,763-10).
On the bottom, Barkley’s 954-4,249-29 TDs path Henry (1,750-8,335-78), Cook dinner (1,282-5,993-47), Chubb (1,210-6,341-48) and Mixon (1,314-5,378-40).
Barkley opted to not attend organized workforce actions, and neither did defensive deal with Dexter Lawrence, who’s in line for a monster payday.
“Actually, I feel he’s among the best backs within the Nationwide Soccer League,” the Giants’ second-round choose, middle John Michael Schmitz, mentioned. “He’s an incredible participant. He’s explosive, and he’s robust. He runs the ball robust.”
Jones, who’s admittedly biased, known as Barkley the perfect working again within the NFL on Baggie Day. It ought to carry weight with the decision-makers.
Pay-quon Time.