Several months ago, the New York Giants attempted to secure Saquon Barkley with a multiyear contract averaging approximately $13 million per season.
However, since then, general manager Joe Schoen has entirely withdrawn the offer, suggesting that the best Barkley can expect is the $10.1 million franchise tag.
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The New York Giants won’t overspend at running back:
Despite Barkley being the Giants’ offensive linchpin in recent seasons, the team is leaning towards a more pass-centric strategy, which inherently devalues the running back role.
Nonetheless, considering Barkley’s capacity to command attention and generate explosive plays, it’s safe to say his influence remains substantial.
Yet, teams don’t clinch championships by overcompensating running backs, and the Giants’ new management believes they can bolster the position with mid-round draft picks, rather than splurging upwards of $12 million per season on a historically injury-prone role.
The market for Saquon Barkley continues to dwindle:
However, the running back market keeps taking substantial hits, with the Minnesota Vikings’ surprising decision to release a perfectly fit and efficient Dalvin Cook on Thursday.
At just 27 years old, Cook has managed to achieve over 1,100 yards for four consecutive seasons. The reality is, Cook earns $14 million per season, and the Vikings would rather redistribute those funds rather than continue to pay him as their chief offensive contributor.
Considering the current treatment of running backs, Barkley’s prospects for a high-paying contract appear bleak. The most probable outcome is that the Giants offer him a one-year extension on the franchise tag and allow him to explore free agency in the subsequent off-season. While this might not be the optimal solution for their offense, Schoen is resolute in safeguarding his investments.
It is a challenging situation for Barkley, who holds great significance for both the fan base and the offense. However, if the evolving game plan begins to reduce his carries and opportunities, his statistics are likely to decline due to a reduced dependency, regardless of his individual performance.