What Christian McCaffrey’s new deal means for the New York Giants and Saquon Barkley:
Christian McCaffrey officially cashed in this past week with a new contract that makes him the highest-paid running back ever in NFL history. McCaffrey signed a four-year, $64 million extension with the Carolina Panthers. Mccaffrey will receive $16 million a year, which is more than Ezekiel Elliott’s extension- he signed with the Cowboys, which is worth $15 million per year.
McCaffrey was a First-team All-Pro in the 2019. It was a no-doubt that the Carolina running back deserved his bag after a dominant campaign last year. McCaffrey ran for 1387 rushing yards and averaged 4.8 rushing yards per attempt. He also added to his resume 15 rushing touchdowns and was only one short of the NFL leader- Derrick Herny who had 16.
What this means for Saquon Barkley:
Barkley will receive a brand new contract that will topple McCaffrey’s. Saquon’s rookie deal ends after the 2021 season, and when the season is over, expect to see a new leader in the highest-paid running back category. McCaffrey’s new contract is a benchmark for Saquon Barkley and other top tier running backs. Barkley is among the top three backs in the league and will hopefully be worth a big contract based on his production.
This means that with hard work and determination, Barkley can become the highest-paid running back in NFL history. Barkley had his ups and downs in the 2019 season but still managed to reach 1,000 rushing yards even after sustaining a high-ankle sprain in week three against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The injury would only sideline Saquon for three games. Barkley is a freak of nature, anyone with a high-ankle sprain should be out anywhere from 6-8 weeks.
When it comes time to a contract extension for Barkley it will be important for the New York Giants to pay attention to the health and condition of Barkley as his career goes on. The Giants must be careful with his health record and limit his contract if injuries continue to affect his efficiency. Time will only tell for the star running back, and the Giants will need to invest in their offensive line to keep Barkley healthy as the years go on.