by New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley reportedly turned down the team’s $13 million per season extension offer during their postseason run last year.
An NFL agent thinks it was a «dumb» decision.
speaking anonymously to the new york post officeThe agent said that the framework of the deal, as long as it was a fair deal (about 60% of the money guaranteed), would have been fine to sign.
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Saquon Barkley of the New York Giants looks to get past Camryn Bynum of the Minnesota Vikings during the second half of an NFL wild card game Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
The agent added that Barkley could now get a deal worth between $8 million and $9 million a season, and that one in the $10 million range would be «pretty rich.»
However, Barkley’s team reportedly did not like the guaranteed money and the structure of the deal, leading him to reject the offer.
Now, the dynamic Giants running back is scheduled to play under his $10.1 million franchise tag for the 2023 season. But will Barkley hold out because he wants his deal resolved before he gets back on the field?
GIANTS’ DEXTER LAWRENCE SAYS SAQUON BARKLEY ‘WILL GET WHAT HE DESERVES’ AS CONTRACT TALKS LOOM
His teammates, quarterback Daniel Jones and, more recently, defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, just received a handsome sum to continue being key pieces of the Giants’ puzzle.
Lawrence told members of the media that he thinks Barkley will get what he’s worth, and the dollar amount he represents is still up for debate.
Saquon Barkley of the New York Giants scores a touchdown during the second quarter against the Washington Commanders at FedExField on December 18, 2022 in Landover, Maryland. (Todd Olszewski/Getty Images)
If Barkley had signed the deal that gave him $13 million a season for any length of time, he would have been third in average annual value among NFL running backs. Only Christian McCaffrey ($16.02 million) and Alvin Kamara ($15 million) would have been higher.
He would also rank above Derrick Henry, Nick Chubb, Joe Mixon and Aaron Jones, to name a few. Henry and Chubb earn $12.5 million and $12.2 million, respectively, while Jones and Mixon earn $12 million per season.
It’s also worth noting that Tony Pollard and Josh Jacobs are also slated to play on the franchise tag as Barkley, though a new deal could be coming soon for them as well.
The running back market isn’t signing up like other positions in the league due to the increased likelihood of injury (Barkley has a history of injuries in his first five seasons) and the fact that players like Isiah Pacheco of the Kansas City Chiefs have come out of the seventh round in last year’s draft and played a major role in the Super Bowl, not to mention the entire regular season and postseason.
Saquon Barkley of the New York Giants warms up before kickoff against the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium on September 26, 2022 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
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The Giants have clearly shown that they want to extend Barkley, but general manager Joe Schoen wants it done at the right price. It remains to be seen if both sides can find common ground this offseason.
