New York Giants: What might Saquon Barkley’s mega-deal look like in the future?

New York Giants, Saquon Barkley
Anthony Rivardo (edit)

It is only a matter of time before the New York Giants have to make a significant decision on former first-round pick Saquon Barkley. Their star running back is going into his third season, following a tumultuous 2019 campaign where he suffered a high ankle sprain. The injury limited his production, despite him rushing for over 1000 yards.

Several weeks ago, Christian McCaffrey signed a record-setting extension with the Carolina Panthers worth $16 million per season. The deal stretches four years beyond 2020.

What does this mean for the New York Giants and Saquon Barkley?

Well, when Barkley saw those numbers, he likely felt a shiver down his spine. He is the consensus number one running back in the NFL among coaches and executives, given his natural skill and strength. While his payday inches closer, the Giants should be as patient as possible with extending him on a mega-deal.

The question is, what route will Saquon take with his negotiations? If he takes a similar path to Jamal Adams and demands a new contract after his third season in the NFL, the Giants could be scared off and consider a trade.

McCaffrey’s $16 million per season sets a benchmark for Barkley, and he will inevitably land well above that number. There’s a possibility he could be the first $20 million per season back in the NFL, but the Giants need more justification for that price tag.

He needs to be the focal point of the offense and essentially run the unit as a priority playmaker. With new head coach Jason Garrett taking over offensive playcalling duties, the expectation is that he will focus on Barkley and running the football. This past off-season, the Giants drafted left tackle Andrew Thomas with a fourth overall pick. They also drafted Matt Peart in the third round out of the University of Connecticut.

The strengthening in the trenches has to be a focus

Building out the offensive line should be priority number one. Providing Daniel Jones with protection in the pocket and Saquon Barkley more running lines to burst through is essential. Big Blue has the playmakers to explode on offense; they just need to find a cohesive balance in the passing and running game.

Barkley’s behemoth contract extension is a primary reason reports have doubled regarding a potential trade scenario. While I don’t think the Giants are better off losing their best offensive player, I can see the justification if he’s asking for unworthy money.

I anticipate the Giants being patient in this process since Carolina extended McCaffrey based on his monster performance in 2019. He posted 1387 rushing yards, 1005 receiving yards, and 19 total touchdowns.

The Giants’ running back needs to post similar numbers to earn the contract he’s likely expecting. I imagine the Giants will likely look to extend him on a four-year contract with frontloaded money. Similar to the deals they executed this past off-season. In the third year, the team has an option to extend him for a fourth with low dead cap. That would ensure they get the best of Barkley in his prime years and also have a way out after his third year if need be.