Unsurprisingly, guaranteed money has been perhaps the central issue in the Giants’ long-running negotiations with Saquon Barkley. Some numbers have come out regarding the guarantee proposal Thursday.
The Giants are believed to have offered Barkley $19.5MM guaranteed, while the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz indicates the current average annual salary term sits at around $13MM. That number hovers near where the Giants were before withdrawing their offer upon franchise-tagging Barkley in March. Big Blue’s winter proposal was believed to include $26MM over the first two years, but it is clear not all of it was guaranteed. The sides have until 3pm Monday to strike a deal. No extension agreement by then would mean Barkley is tied to the $10.1MM RB tag figure this season.
[RELATED: Barkley To Consider Skipping Week 1 If No Deal Reached]
It has long seemed the Barkley guarantee floor is $22.2MM, the cost of two franchise tags, but that number might not be enough to cross the finish line here. Barkley’s guarantee aim likely comes in a bit higher than the two-tag number, Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano tweets. It should not be too surprising the two-time Pro Bowl running back would want more money locked in, seeing as the top two RB guarantees — for Derrick Henry and Christian McCaffrey — came on deals signed in 2020.
A bit of a difference exists between total guarantees and fully guaranteed money. In terms of guarantees that cover skill and injury, two backs — McCaffrey and Alvin Kamara — signed for more than $34MM apiece. Two other veterans — Henry and Nick Chubb — secured $20MM-plus guaranteed in total.
In terms of fully guaranteed cash, the only veteran deals north of $18MM went to McCaffrey ($30.1MM) and Henry ($25.5MM). Those agreements were finalized in April and July of 2020, respectively. Seeing as the salary cap has jumped by $26MM since then (and is expected to make another big leap in 2024), Barkley seeking that kind of security is not exactly out of step, though Schwartz adds a guarantee in the $22-23MM range will likely move Barkley to sign (video link).
The guarantee component is also interesting because Barkley has already played out a contract that contained more fully guaranteed dough than McCaffrey’s deal. Being drafted at No. 2 overall, Barkley enjoyed the luxury of his entire rookie contract (four years, $31.2MM) being guaranteed. With the Giants currently at $19.5MM on the guarantee front, it does not seem like Barkley will move the number past his rookie pact. But it is notable the sides have already ventured into that territory due to rookie slot money.
Barkley’s injury past has undoubtedly influenced the team’s guarantee figure. In addition to the ACL tear the New Jersey native suffered in September 2020, he sustained a high ankle sprain in 2019 and dealt with more ankle trouble in 2021. But the 26-year-old back rebounded with a healthy 2021 season, suiting up for 18 of the Giants’ 19 games (Brian Daboll rested him in Week 18). Barkley showed enough for the team — which discussed him in trades barely a year ago — to bring out its franchise tag. But time is running out for the sides to make a deal.
The Giants have been here before and come out with a resolution. No deal between the Giants and Daniel Jones was considered imminent two days before the March deadline for teams to tag players. Jones’ AAV ask was at $47MM at one point during the talks; the Giants hammered out a four-year, $160MM contract minutes before the March 7 deadline, allowing them to keep their quarterback off the market and tag their running back. The stakes are higher for Barkley, whose career will almost definitely not last as long as Jones’. This window represents an important opportunity for the sixth-year back to tack on another nice contract before his prime ends.
Considering the string of blows the running back position has absorbed this offseason, the Barkley-Giants talks — as well as the less publicized discussions between the Raiders and Josh Jacobs and Cowboys and Tony Pollard — double as critical for the market as a whole. As the Jones negotiations showed, however, a lot can happen in the final days before a deadline.
I’m so sick of Barkley. One healthy season, and he is looking to hold out. Could get cook for cheaper.
Pay the man his 14-15 mil a year with two years of guaranteed money. Send the right message to the locker room and can still get off it after two years if needed.
Running backs are a dime a dozen, it’s not hard to get manageable production with the current game. Now if only NYG had a qb to make up for a cheaper back.
Excellent RBs are not a dime a dozen. Ones that your offense revolves around, ones that don’t turn the ball over, and ones that can run routes and pass protect. Do you think you can plug and play any RB in that offense and get the same production? Lol
Barkley is worth it when healthy, but how many healthy years will he have? I can’t blame him for wanting more, but the Giants did put a decent offer on the table at $13 million per. Does Barkley deserve more? Certainly. Will he get it? Not likely. Teams just aren’t as willing, usually, to shell out those deals today.
CMC and Henry have had injury issues, and even then, they’re atypical in terms of contracts at the position. New York seems more likely to try (and possibly fail, who knows) to replace Barkley than they are to offer a lucrative deal. They have an offensive coach who is riding a wave of optimism. That probably plays somewhat into it. It’s telling to me that they got an extension done with Jones right after Barkley supposedly rejected their offer.
As usual, your take on the situation seems very well thought out and is probably spot on. I wonder how much Barkley being considered a “Gettleman guy” is hindering his chances here.
Pull the tag, NY. Let him sit w/ the rest of the RB’s still in FA. They all will earn a fraction of what they think they should get. They’ll be lucky to get a hair above vet minimum.
Should the Giants rescind the franchise tag, Barkley immediately becomes a free agent. That’s how Josh Norman was able to leave Carolina and sign with the Washington Redskins.
I know. They save $10m and can easily find a 1,000+ yard RB. A dime a dozen. The market clearly says RB’s aren’t worth $10m/season. If I were a GM, I’d do 2 years fully guaranteed deals for great RB’s. They get their cash and you have an easy out w/o cap problems.
One year deal. No tag after next year. Get it done.
Pay him 22 mil this year?
He’s a greedy dude. Come teach my high school kids for $65,000 a year after 25 years.,..I’m a giants fan but Barkley is a$$h0Ie.