Daniel Jones

Latest On Contract Talks Between Giants, Daniel Jones

March 7th, 2023 at 11:00am CST by Adam La Rose

MARCH 7: Negotiations continued deep into Monday night, Garafolo notes, but nothing is currently considered imminent (Twitter link). As is the case with the Ravens and Lamar Jackson, talks could come right down to the 3pm CT deadline for a resolution. Adding further to the continued uncertainty, ESPN’s Dianna Russini tweets that it is “50-50” whether or not a multi-year deal gets over the finish line in time between the Giants and Jones. She adds that talks with Barkley have “stalled,” pointing further to him reaching free agency if New York is forced to tag Jones.

MARCH 6: One major domino has fallen with respect to the 2023 QB market already, but plenty of attention remains focused on the Giants and Daniel Jones. Talks at the Combine didn’t result in a contract being finalized, but a breakthrough could still be possible in the very near future.

Less than 24 hours remain until the franchise tag deadline, meaning the Giants continue to face pressure to ink Jones to a multi-year deal (and by doing so, give themselves the option of using the franchise tag on running back Saquon Barkley). Failing that, Jones will receive the tag to lengthen the negotiating window for both sides, but also ensure that he will be in New York for at least the 2023 campaign.

Jones’ decision to change agents and subsequent increase in contract demands has dominated the storyline in this situation. His asking price (roughly $45MM-per-year) is not believed to be a point to which the Giants are willing to go, though, and the 25-year-old’s performances through 2021 made it an easy decision for the team’s previous regime to decline his fifth-year option. That has left the two parties at something of an impasse, though optimism was said to exist following the weekend’s negotiations.

On that point, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports (via Twitter) that Jones’ representatives have travelled to New Jersey today to continue talks in person with the Giants. That will at least keep open the possibility of a deal being finalized at the eleventh hour. The framework of a possible contract will still likely be heftier than what the team had been hoping for, though.

In an update on where things stand as of the weekend, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano report that Jones’ deal could be four years in length and carry a value of over $160MM. That would be very similar to the one which Derek Carr signed with the Saints earlier today, though a number of differences exist in the two passers’ respective situations. Jones doesn’t have the pedigree of Carr, a four-time Pro Bowler, but the Duke alum is six years younger and took a significant step forward in play last year, the first with Brian Daboll in place as head coach.

Fowler notes that many around the league have been surprised by the degree to which the Giants remain “comfortable” in giving Jones a major second contract. They still have the franchise tag option (which would cost $32.4MM) as a failsafe, of course, but using it would allow Barkley to hit free agency as the top RB on the market. Whether today’s talks produced any progress will go a long way in determining the Giants’ next moves in the coming days.

Latest On Giants, Daniel Jones

March 5th, 2023 at 7:38am CST by Sam Robinson

MARCH 5: Jones and New York brass are expected to leave the scouting combine today “with no contract resolution in sight,” as Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reports (via Twitter). Pelissero’s NFL Network colleague, Mike Garafolo, says it always seemed likely that, if a long-term deal is going to be struck prior to the March 7 deadline for teams to utilize the franchise tag, it will happen in the 48 hours leading up to the deadline (Twitter link). However, Pelissero’s report suggests that there is still a great deal of work to be done in these negotiations.

MARCH 3, 4:00pm: Painting a more optimistic picture of the situation compared to Leonard’s report, ESPN’s Jordan Raanan tweets that progress has been made in recent days between the two sides. He adds that a contract being finalized before the tag deadline “doesn’t seem unreasonable,” something which would of course carry massive implications for the team if it were to happen. Jones being signed would allow for the franchise tag to become an option for Barkley, thus keeping him off the market. Raanan also echoes the expectation that Jones’ deal will check in at a value of at least $40MM per season.

MARCH 3, 8:57am: Daniel Jones‘ rumored $45MM-per-year price point emerged almost two weeks ago. Despite the Giants negotiating with their free agent-to-be quarterback daily this week, they do not appear to be making progress.

Not only has Jones not come down from that lofty number, Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News reports his ask is beyond $45MM on average. GM Joe Schoen said Thursday he wished the two sides were closer on terms by this point. The gap between where the Giants want this deal to land and what Jones’ camp points to a franchise tag.

The Giants initially feared Jones’ ask would come in beyond $35MM per year. Given the developments since the sides started negotiating, that number sounds reasonable now. Guarantee structure will matter here, but it does not appear the Giants are entertaining a number north of $45MM AAV. That is top-five (for now) quarterback money — north of Patrick Mahomes‘ 10-year deal’s average — and it points to Team Jones viewing the fifth-year passer as ascending to the point the Giants need to pay up for what he will be with a stronger supporting cast.

Jones’ wild-card performance in Minnesota notwithstanding, his being connected to an ask in this neighborhood after a 15-touchdown pass season is interesting. The Giants’ wide receiver plan broke down to the point a waiver claim (Isaiah Hodgins) had emerged as his go-to target by season’s end. Saquon Barkley was by far the team’s best skill player. Jones’ ask staying at this place could certainly lead to the sixth-year running back hitting the market.

The $37MM-AAV range has emerged as a sweet spot here; that would check in around the price of a 2024 Jones franchise tag. This year’s QB tag is $32.4MM, explaining the gap between the Giants and Jones four days away from the deadline to tag players.

Evaluators at this week’s Combine have classified Jones as an above-average quarterback not in the top tier at his position, Leonard adds, noting execs would want to see more before entertaining a contract in this price range. “Above average” is a safe label, even after Jones’ surprising 2022 season. The 25-year-old QB is a year removed from the Giants passing on a $22.4MM fifth-year option. Now, the prospect of Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson moving the top of the QB market is likely affecting the Giants.

This offseason brings a handful of quarterback-needy teams. The Jets and Saints are leading the way in terms of those connected to veteran arms, with Aaron Rodgers and Derek Carr at the forefront. The Giants are not planning to let Jones test free agency; the only way he could gauge his value is to negotiate with other teams while on the tag. It would cost a team two first-round picks to pry Jones from the Giants, who would need to match an offer sheet to keep him in that scenario. Would another team’s offer come close to a deal in the high-$40MM range?

Even if this offseason saga is unlikely to reach that point, the Giants are on the verge of being stuck with a $32.4MM tag clogging their payroll going into free agency. The team sits near the top of the league in terms of cap space, holding $46.9MM as of Friday morning. Its equation would change if/once Jones is tagged.

Giants Not Planning To Raise Offer To Saquon Barkley?

March 2nd, 2023 at 10:43am CST by Sam Robinson

Inheriting two downward-trending pieces on offense in 2022, the Joe Schoen-led front office is now negotiating with two players coming off bounce-back seasons. The Giants are days away from a date that could send one of them out of New York.

The team continues to negotiate with Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley. Schoen said he has talked to the free agent-to-be (or soon-to-be-tagged) quarterback’s camp throughout the week but mentioned during a Good Morning Football appearance he wished the Giants and their QB were closer on terms (video link). Teams have until 3pm CT Tuesday to apply franchise tags, which the Giants will do if no Jones deal commences by then.

Jones’ talks have hovered over Barkley’s throughout the offseason, as the running back — despite beginning negotiations with the Giants before they were sold on Jones — represents the second domino here. The Giants offered Barkley a deal in the $12.5MM-per-year neighborhood — one Derrick Henry, Dalvin Cook and Nick Chubb populate. Then again, those contracts were respectively agreed to in 2020 (Henry, Cook) and 2021 (Chubb). The salary cap has climbed to $224.8MM since, which could make Barkley signing for a similar amount a somewhat sobering (as far as eight-figure-per-year deals go, at least) transaction on his part.

While a report indicated the Giants moving to $14MM per year could probably finish this process, Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports adds Combine buzz suggests the team will not raise its offer from the $12.5MM-AAV place (Twitter link). When the Giants initially offered that, Schoen confirmed the talks did not come close. The second-year GM said earlier this week the sides had made some progress.

Guarantees here are not known, and if Barkley would entertain signing for this price, the Giants would likely need to step up on that front. As a former No. 2 overall pick, Barkley already signed a deal for $31.2MM guaranteed at signing. Not even Christian McCaffrey‘s contract — still the position-record deal on the AAV front, at $16MM — contains that. If Barkley does not accept the estimated $12.5MM-per-year accord, Vacchiano adds the Giants would be willing to let him walk.

This stance invites risk, as their pass catcher-deficient offense depended on Barkley for much of last season. Then again, free agency will bring a host of starter-level options — including Miles Sanders, Kareem Hunt and Devin Singletary, who arrived in Buffalo during Schoen and Daboll’s tenure — that would save the Giants money as they regrouped following failed Barkley negotiations. Still, Barkley is quite popular among the team’s fanbase and, when healthy, is one of the NFL’s best backs. Although this year’s free agent running back surplus could devalue the position, Barkley would shoot to the top of the market if untagged — especially if the Cowboys and Raiders respectively cuff Tony Pollard and Josh Jacobs.

The Giants’ best path remains extending Jones by Tuesday’s deadline and tagging Barkley at $10.1MM. A Jones tag will cost $32.4MM. As far as a long-term deal goes, Jones has been closely tied to a $45MM-per-year ask. The Giants had hoped $35MM per year would be the ceiling here. To bridge this gap, Vacchiano notes the sweet spot may well be a $37MM-AAV extension with the first two years guaranteed (Twitter link).

Jones asked the Giants for some time away before beginning negotiations and hired new representation after that stretch. How the Giants proceed with their passer’s new agency over the next week will certainly have a major say in their immediate future.

Giants, Saquon Barkley Moving Closer To Deal; Team Begins Dexter Lawrence Talks

February 28th, 2023 at 4:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

Sitting as the second domino in the Giants’ offseason equation for weeks, Saquon Barkley remains unsigned. He and the Giants have been in talks since midway through last season, but Joe Schoen pointed to progress Tuesday.

The second-year Giants GM said the sides are “a little bit closer” on terms. It is believed the Giants offered Barkley a deal in the $12.5MM-per-year range; that did not move the needle much during the fall talks. The Giants have not been connected to being open to moving too much higher, but they might be willing to climb a bit to retain their dynamic back.

“We haven’t totally bridged [the difference]. We’re a little bit closer,” Schoen said, via ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan. “There’s still a gap, [otherwise] would’ve done it. We’ll still work through that. We’re working with Roc Nation and [Barkley’s agent] Kim [Miale]. We have a great relationship with them and her.

“… Again, you have to draw a line in the sand — like we’re not going any further. And if it goes past this [line], alright, let’s shift to Plan B. Again, hopefully we don’t get to all that but we went through all these plans.”

A recent report indicated a deal at around $14MM per year could move this lengthy process past the goal line. That still would place Barkley outside the top three among running backs, and with those deals (for Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara and Ezekiel Elliott) all being signed in 2020 or before, it would obviously be somewhat unsatisfying for the Giants back to accept such terms now that the cap has spiked to $224.8MM. But the Giants could have both the advantage of the franchise tag and a robust running back market that could suppress players’ values.

Barkley, 26, has already pocketed considerable cash, being a former No. 2 overall pick and having finished his fifth-year option season. But this offseason represents his best chance to cash in during a career not expected to last too much longer. Barkley should still have multiple prime years left, but backs routinely do not play past 30 in the modern game. The Giants have until March 13 to keep Barkley off the market, but their real deadline may be March 7 — the last day to apply franchise tags.

Schoen reiterated the Giants’ plan to tag Daniel Jones (at a steep $32.4MM) unless an extension is reached. A $10.1MM Barkley tag would, then, only commence if Jones is extended. While the GM expressed cautious optimism extensions for Barkley and Jones will be completed, via the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard (on Twitter), the Giants are likely to go down to the wire here.

Beyond the Jones-Barkley components of this offseason, the Giants have Dexter Lawrence coming off a breakout year and heading into a contract campaign. The Giants have already begun talks with Lawrence, Schoen said (via Leonard), but the discussions look to be preliminary in nature. It is not known if the Giants want to be the team that first bridges the gap between Aaron Donald and the field at defensive tackle. The Commanders just tagged Daron Payne, but he will be part of that mix that includes Jeffery Simmons and Chris Jones, who are each in contract years.

Those contracts would stand to drive up the price for Lawrence, who is going into his fifth-year option season. But the former Clemson standout (and last piece of the Odell Beckham Jr. trade still on either the Giants or Browns) said he wants to stay in New York. The Giants would have the option of a 2024 franchise tag with Lawrence, though their 2023 tag candidates obviously take precedence.

Scrolling further down Big Blue’s expanding priority list, Schoen confirmed the Giants want to keep Julian Love. The Giants will speak with Love’s agent at the Combine, but a deal may not transpire until the Giants survey the market. Schoen said the team will wait to see if teams cut safeties to create a market surplus, which would affect Love’s value. John Johnson will be one of the cap casualties, joining a market set to house Jessie Bates, Vonn Bell, C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Jordan Poyer, whom Schoen has close ties to from his Buffalo days. Additionally, Schoen mentioned Jihad Ward as a leadership type the Giants will not want to lose (Twitter links via Leonard). The rotational edge rusher just played out a league-minimum contract.

Latest On Giants’ Talks With Daniel Jones, Saquon Barkley

February 24th, 2023 at 4:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

It appears the Giants and Daniel Jones have finally begun their negotiations, following a delayed start caused by the quarterback’s late agency switch. Jones’ new agents are setting a high bar and have some deadline-driven leverage to use.

The $45MM-per-year number that emerged earlier this week appears in step with the Jones camp’s asking price. The fifth-year passer views his value as past $40MM AAV, Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports notes. As could be expected, the Giants are hoping a deal will check in lower. The team wants this deal to be closed at around $35MM per year.

The latter number has been circulated as well, with the Giants having hoped Jones’ asking price would not top that $35MM-AAV figure. Jones’ camp can compare prices to other QBs, but it appears a near-certainty he will not have the chance to explore free agency. Although the Giants do not look to be considering the $45MM-plus exclusive franchise tag for Jones, they will apply the non-exclusive tag ($32.4MM) if no agreement is reached by March 7 — when the window for tagging players closes. That would affect the Giants’ plans with Saquon Barkley, but Jones’ reps can use the threat of that cap-clogging QB tag as leverage against the team.

A post-contract-year price hike aside, this process could still have a happy ending (albeit an expensive one) for the Giants. Both camps view a Jones deal before the March 7 deadline as likely, Vacchiano adds, but this business could go down to the wire. The longer Jones is not tagged, the closer Barkley comes to hitting the open market.

It would be an interesting foray for Barkley, as a buyer’s market awaits this year’s glut of UFA-to-be running backs. The former No. 2 overall pick’s talent cannot exactly be questioned, especially after his bounce-back year, but the franchise tag price ($10.1MM) and flooded market could depress his value. Josh Jacobs and Tony Pollard are the only other backs connected to the franchise tag, and while those players being cuffed would stand to benefit Barkley most, the prospect of Miles Sanders, Kareem Hunt, Jamaal Williams, David Montgomery, Devin Singletary, D’Onta Foreman and Damien Harris all hitting the market offers teams cheaper alternatives to the five-year Giant. This could push Barkley back to the Giants’ offer.

New York offered Barkley an extension in the $12.5MM-per-year range, and though a $14MM-AAV pact has also come out, no report of that number being offered has emerged yet. With Ezekiel Elliott close to taking a pay cut or being cut, the 2023 season may feature only two backs — Christian McCaffrey and Alvin Kamara — tied to $15MM-per-year contracts. No ball-carrier sits between $13-$15MM. Some familiar with GM Joe Schoen do not believe he would want to venture into the $14MM range, per Vacchiano. Though, if the Giants already offered $12.5MM, such a leap (without knowing the guarantee structure) is not hard to imagine. The Giants have been talking with Barkley longer than Jones, negotiating with the former Offensive Rookie of the Year in the fall and starting again in late January.

Jones, 25, has rocketed out of the QB no-man’s land position — the $15-$30MM-per-year range — and into another gap. No passers are currently tied to a deal between $35MM and $40MM per annum. The notion of the Giants bailing and looking into one of this year’s cheaper QB options has not surfaced. It would be interesting to see if a true hardball effort by Jones’ camp would lead to the team floating such a plan.

Latest On Giants’ Daniel Jones, Saquon Barkley Negotiations

February 21st, 2023 at 9:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

The franchise tag window opened at 3pm CT today, and while it is unsurprising the Giants have not made a decision, Daniel Jones‘ recent actions could push the team down the path to one soon. Jones has changed agents, and his asking price may well prompt the Giants to tag him.

The $45MM-per-year number has been floated for the former first-round pick. That figure is higher than the Giants want to go; it might be significantly higher. The Giants hoped Jones’ asking price would come in below $40MM AAV, Paul Schwartz of the New York Post notes (video link).

Jones upped his value considerably this season, a statistically unspectacular campaign but an efficient one that brought improvement from his first three years. A woeful Vikings defense played a part, with Jones accounting for 368 and 379 yards in the Giants’ Week 17 and wild-card round games in Minnesota. Those marked Jones’ highest and second-highest yardage outputs this season; his all-around performance in the rematch led the Giants to their first postseason win in 11 years. The 25-year-old passer is now in strong position, and his recent actions point to him maximizing it.

Regarding negotiations, however, the Giants do not appear to be too far out of the starting blocks. Prior to Jones changing agents, the sides had not officially started talks, Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News notes. Jones’ agent change merely delayed them, per Leonard, who adds this switch looks to have come about because of backchannel word ahead of the official talks. While the $45MM figure has circulated, it has not come up in official negotiations yet. Jones changing agencies does signal these discussions could bring some turbulence, but Leonard expects a deal to be finalized.

With no quarterback tied to a deal between $35MM and $40MM per annum, the latter number has become a line of demarcation of sorts. Dak Prescott and Matthew Stafford are tied to $40MM-per-year pacts. Both have obviously proven more than Jones, though the cap’s growth puts the Duke product in a good spot. Going to $45MM would move Jones past Josh Allen ($43MM per year), even though guarantees provide a better indications of contracts’ value. But the $40MM price range would put Jones in interesting company. A deal between $35-$40MM has been the expected range for Jones for a bit.

After a historically turnover-prone rookie season, Jones submitted two inferior statistical years in 2020 and 2021 — the latter an injury-shortened slate. The Joe Schoen–Brian Daboll regime, then, did not pick up his $22.4MM fifth-year option in May 2022. Despite Jones throwing 15 touchdown passes during the 2022 regular season — nine down from his 13-game rookie year — he finished with the league’s lowest interception rate and piloted a playoff-qualifying season even as various developments depleted the Giants’ pass-catching corps. But Big Blue might be forced to further weaken its skill-position arsenal to keep Jones.

New York still wants to sign both Jones and Saquon Barkley to long-term deals, Jeff Darlington of ESPN.com tweets. The tag is not expected to come out until close to the 3pm deadline on March 7. That is not uncommon; most tag business unfolds close to the March and July deadlines. But Jones will receive the tag if he is not signed by that point. That would put Barkley on track for free agency. The Giants tagging Barkley at $10.1MM would be far less constraining than cuffing Jones at $32.4MM. Big Blue would prefer this path, with a Jones extension producing a cap number low enough it would still allow for some free agency moves.

A Jones tag would not only limit the team’s options with outside free agents, it would cut into funds for a last-ditch Barkley deal. Following the tag deadline, the Giants would have six more days of exclusive Barkley negotiations; the legal tampering period begins March 13. However, the Combine will give the two-time Pro Bowl running back a good indication of what will be out there for him on the market. The team has offered Barkley a deal in the $12.5MM-per-year neighborhood, and it is believed a $14MM-AAV pact could wrap these negotiations. Thus, signing Jones by March 7 will be the best way for the Giants to retain both their offensive cornerstones.

The Titans navigated a similar situation in 2020 by re-signing Ryan Tannehill just before free agency and tagging Derrick Henry, who signed an extension that summer. The next two weeks will be telling for the Giants in their effort to retain their quarterback and running back.

Daniel Jones Changes Agents; Giants QB Seeking $45MM-Per-Year Deal?

February 20th, 2023 at 10:15pm CST by Adam La Rose

Giants general manager Joe Schoen faces the tall task of keeping quarterback Daniel Jones and running back Saquon Barkley in the fold for at least the 2023 season. The team’s priorities in terms of signing long-term deals has shifted recently, and the former is looking to use his leverage to a significant extent.

Jones has changed agents, as first reported by ESPN’s Jordan Raanan (on Twitter). The 25-year-old was represented by CAA, but has signed with Athletes First; such a change usually requires a five-day waiting period, but CAA has reportedly waived that. The move marks one of several agent changes seen in recent weeks amongst pending free agents, but it could signal a desire on Jones’ part to secure a larger deal than many were expecting.

Indeed, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports that Jones is seeking more than what the Giants have offered to date. Specifically, he notes that Jones’ ask could be for a deal averaging “as much as $45MM per season.” That would represent a steep increase in price compared to the $35MM-per-year region a new contract has been expected to land in. It would also, of course, mark a much larger figure than what the non-exclusive franchise tag ($32.4MM) would cost for 2023.

Five signal-callers currently average $45MM or more on their current contracts, including First Athlete client Deshaun Watson. His historic, fully-guaranteed deal has widely been seen as an outlier compared to other QB mega-deals, though, and was signed under far different circumstances to the ones Jones and the Giants are currently in. The Duke alum had by the best year of his career in 2022, but his previous struggles made it an easy decision for the team to decline his fifth-year option last offseason.

Doing so now leaves them in the position of a multi-year deal being the best option with respect to keeping Barkley on the books as well. The franchise tag for running backs is a fraction of the cost for quarterbacks, and would save the Giants significant cap space by keeping Barkley around in 2023 via that route. That could postpone contract talks with him (which have suggested the 26-year-old could ink a deal worth roughly $14MM per year) until next offseason, where clarity may have emerged for the Giants on the performance and injury front.

While Florio’s update is certainly noteworthy, one from Paul Schwartz of the New York Post falls in line with previous reporting on the Jones situation. He notes that the “ballpark” contract the team is eyeing is five years and $190MM, which equates to an AAV of $38MM. Spreading out the cap hit on such a pact would give the Giants valuable flexibility, and confirm their stated goal of moving forward with him as their franchise QB. Negotiations could take an interesting turn now, however, as free agency draws nearer.

2023 NFL Franchise Tag Candidates

February 16th, 2023 at 10:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

Set to begin its fourth decade of existence, the franchise tag remains a valuable tool for teams to keep top free agents off the market. This year’s tag window opens at 3pm CT on Feb. 21 and closes at 3pm CT on March 7. The NFL released its franchise tag figures — regarding the non-exclusive tag, at least, which will apply to all but one possible tag recipient — earlier this month, and teams are busy budgeting for free agency.

The legal tampering period opens March 13, with the new league year (and official free agency) starting March 15. Once a player is tagged, he has until July 15 to sign an extension with his respective team. Absent an extension agreement by that date, the player must play the 2023 season on the tag (or go the Le’Veon Bell/Dan Williams/Sean Gilbert route, passing on guaranteed money and skipping the season).

With high-profile free agents weeks away from hitting the market, here are the players who figure to be tagged or at least generate conversations about a tag ahead of the March 7 deadline.

Locks

Lamar Jackson, QB (Ravens)

One of the most obvious tag candidates since the tag’s 1993 debut, Jackson has been extension-eligible since January 2021. He and the Ravens went through negotiations in 2021 and 2022, negotiating into the season two years ago and stopping talks before Week 1 — a Jackson mandate — of last season. The self-represented quarterback has declined multiple Ravens offers in this span and failed to finish a season for the second straight year. The endless extension drama and rumblings of team frustration about Jackson’s failure to return from an ankle injury aside, the team will tag the former MVP.

Baltimore GM Eric DeCosta said last month he had not decided on using the exclusive or non-exclusive tag — the former preventing teams from talking to the QB, the latter opening the door to offer sheets — but a recent report suggested the team is more likely to roll the dice by using the non-exclusive tag. This would allow another team to sign to Jackson, 25, to the fully guaranteed deal he covets (in a transaction that could send two first-round picks Baltimore’s way) but also hit the Ravens with just a $32.4MM cap hit.

With the Browns collecting three first-rounders and change for Deshaun Watson, the Ravens would almost definitely want more than the two-first-rounder haul attached as baseline compensation for franchise tag offer sheets. But an exclusive QB tag is expected to check in beyond $45MM; this would severely restrict the Ravens in free agency.

The Browns’ Watson extension changed the game for the Ravens, creating a potentially unbridgeable guarantee gap. Jackson has long been connected to seeking a deal north of Watson’s $230MM fully guaranteed; the Ravens offered $133MM guaranteed at signing last year. Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti spoke out against the Browns giving Watson that money, and tag-and-trade scenarios involving the top quarterback in Ravens history have entered the equation. It will be a fascinating offseason in Baltimore, even after DeCosta and John Harbaugh expressed hope Jackson can be extended.

Likely tag recipients

Orlando Brown Jr., T (Chiefs)

Criticized by some for turning down the Chiefs’ six-year, $139MM extension offer in July 2022, Brown stayed healthy this season and earned another Pro Bowl nod. The mammoth left tackle is 2-for-2 in Pro Bowls as a Chief, and although he is not quite a top-tier blindsider, he would be one of this year’s top free agents if permitted to hit the market. The Super Bowl champions are not expected to let that happen. A second Brown tag would come in at $19.99MM, being 120% of his 2022 salary.

Brown, 26, cited insufficient guarantees in the Chiefs’ July proposal, which contained $38MM guaranteed at signing and $52.25MM guaranteed in total. The total guarantee figure trailed only ex-Ravens teammate Ronnie Stanley among tackles, while the full guarantee would have placed Brown fourth at the position. Brown turning down that proposal brought risk, and some in the Chiefs organization expressed frustration with the talented blocker. But the former Ravens right tackle’s bet on himself still appears to be paying off. This will be a crucial offseason for the Chiefs and Brown. A third tag — 144% of Brown’s 2023 salary — in 2024 would be viewed as untenable, sending him to free agency on the Kirk Cousins/Trumaine Johnson path. That makes July 15 a fairly firm deadline for Brown and the Chiefs.

Josh Jacobs, RB (Raiders)

After Las Vegas’ new regime passed on Jacobs’ fifth-year option, he became the first Raider to win the rushing title since Marcus Allen in 1985. Jacobs led the NFL in touches in 2022 (393) but was never a primary ball-carrier at Alabama; the former first-round pick should still have some tread on his tires. Running back extensions have become popular but divisive in recent years. While Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara and (for now) Ezekiel Elliott are attached to deals worth at least $15MM per year, the Raiders can tag Jacobs at just $10.1MM.

Jacobs, 24, has expressed a desire to stay in Nevada, and Josh McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler want to continue this partnership as well. With many quality running backs on track for free agency, new deals could be finalized before the Raiders become serious about Jacobs negotiations. Whether that happens this year or not, the former first-round pick is unlikely to reach the market.

Daron Payne, DT (Commanders)

After early-offseason extension rumblings, the Commanders did not move too far in this direction last year. They re-upped Terry McLaurin and let Payne play out a contract year. But Payne turned 2022 into a platform campaign that stands to make him one of this year’s top free agents. The Commanders are soon to have $26MM in additional cap space, by moving on from Carson Wentz, and the team will likely give strong consideration to keeping Payne off the market. The defensive tackle tag costs $18.94MM. Washington has begun Payne talks, but those are still in the early stages.

Washington has some mouths to feed on its defensive line, with both Montez Sweat and Chase Young now extension-eligible. The team already paid Payne’s Alabama and Washington D-tackle teammate, Jonathan Allen, and drafted another Crimson Tide interior rusher (Phidarian Mathis) in Round 2 last year. Mathis went down in Week 1, and Payne broke through for an 11.5-sack, 18-TFL season. A tag here is not an open-and-shut tag case, but it would be a tough blow for the Commanders to see their sack leader walk. Regrouping with Payne, 25, would make more sense, especially with the team not preparing to spend big at quarterback this offseason.

Tony Pollard, RB (Cowboys)

Seeming likelier by the week, a Pollard tag would keep an emerging playmaker with a light career workload in the fold. The Cowboys are believed to be strongly considering a tag here, even with Ezekiel Elliott‘s bloated contract on the books. Elliott taking less to stay — it would need to be a lot less — has already been floated, opening the door for his better-performing (in recent years, at least) backup to stick around on the $10.1MM number or via an extension.

It would be strange to tag a backup, but Pollard, 25, is essentially a Dallas starter. He matched Elliott with 12 touchdowns in 2022 and smashed his career-high scrimmage yards number with 1,378. Pollard’s 631 career touches rank just 24th among backs since 2019, pointing to a few prime years remaining on the horizon. With Elliott’s cap number near certain to move down from its present $16.7MM place and Pollard not at risk of seeing his fractured fibula affect his 2023 availability, the former fourth-round find should be back in Dallas.

The Giants’ decision

Daniel Jones, QB

Passing on Jones’ fifth-year option — an understandable decision, given Jones’ first three seasons — leads the Giants to one of the more interesting free agency quandaries in recent memory. After making Saquon Barkley a higher priority regarding in-season extension talks, Big Blue’s new regime has come around on Jones. The former No. 6 overall pick piloting the Giants to the divisional round for the first time in 11 years transformed his value from where it was entering the season, and GM Joe Schoen all but assured the fifth-year passer will be back with the team in 2023. Will that be on a long-term deal or via the tag?

If the Giants and Jones, 25, cannot find common ground before March 7, the tag will likely come out. The team encountered this situation with Leonard Williams in 2021 and tagged the trade acquisition for a second time. That preceded a monster extension. The Giants probably should be careful here, with two late-season matchups against a porous Vikings defense boosting Jones’ value — to the $35MM-per-year range. But the team also should be eager to see Jones in Brian Daboll‘s offense and surrounded by better pass catchers.

Saquon Barkley, RB

A Giants team that battled injuries and bad investments at wide receiver relied on Barkley for much of 2022. Losing the two-time Pro Bowler for nothing will bring considerable risk. Jones sitting atop the Giants’ to-do list may be a pivot from the midseason point, when Schoen referenced a Barkley tag. A positional value-based course change could send Barkley to free agency.

The Giants are believed to have offered Barkley a deal in the $12.5MM-per-year neighborhood, and while the former No. 2 overall pick cited his injury history (21 missed games from 2019-21) in saying he is not looking to reset the running back market, Schoen noted the sides’ 2022 negotiation did not come close to a deal. Barkley, 25, is believed to be seeking a contract near McCaffrey’s $16MM-per-year market-setting price. A $14MM-AAV compromise could be in play, but Barkley may also be keen on testing the market.

Tagging Jones at $32.4MM would clog the Giants’ cap ahead of free agency, whereas as a Barkley tag ($10.1MM) would not drain the team’s funds on the same level. Barkley can make a case he is worthy of the McCaffrey-Kamara tier, given his production (when healthy) and versatility — and the salary cap jumping nearly $30MM (to $224.8MM) since those stars’ 2020 extensions were finalized. But the Giants are not yet prepared to go much higher than the $12MM-AAV range — the second tier for running backs. Jones talks not producing a deal would put the Giants to a decision; Barkley could become one of the most talented backs to hit free agency.

While Barkley is a better player, Jones has become the Giants’ top priority. Tagging the quarterback would be far more expensive than cuffing Barkley. A Jones extension/Barkley tag scenario remains the best Giants path, but that can only come to fruition if Jones agrees to terms before March 7.

On tag radar

Jessie Bates, S (Bengals)

With Joe Burrow now extension-eligible, new contractual territory awaits the Bengals. Tee Higgins is also eligible for a new deal, with Germaine Pratt weeks away from free agency. Vonn Bell, a three-year Bengals starter who is also nearing free agency, would be a cheaper alternative at safety to keeping Bates on a second tag. Cincinnati also drafted potential Bates heir apparent Dax Hill in the first round. This all points to the Bengals letting Bates walk — as they did defenders Carl Lawson and William Jackson in 2021 — but the former second-round pick is still one of the league’s top safeties.

The Bengals and Bates never came close on an extension last year; the team’s conservative guarantee policy led to an offer of $16MM guaranteed at signing. While player personnel director Duke Tobin said last summer renegotiations this year will not be off the table, Bates will likely hit the market. The five-year Cincinnati starter, who will turn 26 next week, can be re-tagged at $15.5MM.

Jamel Dean, CB (Buccaneers)

The Bucs tagged Chris Godwin in each of the past two years and prioritized retaining their core players above all else during that span. But, with Tom Brady‘s void-years money hitting the Bucs’ cap in 2023, a Dean tag will be difficult to pull off. The Saints moving from $75MM-plus over the cap in February 2021 to creating room for a Marcus Williams tag, however, shows how teams can go from cap hell to carving out tag space. That said, Brady’s $35.1MM hitting the cap pushes the Bucs past $50MM over the 2023 salary ceiling.

Dean, 26, has been one of the team’s top players. The former third-round pick grades as Pro Football Focus’ No. 11 overall cornerback from 2020-22. This still looks like an unlikely proposition, with the corner tag at $18.14MM, but it should not be considered completely off the table.

Evan Engram, TE (Jaguars)

Tight ends Mike Gesicki, David Njoku and Dalton Schultz received tags in 2022, and the tight end tag again checking in as the third-cheapest ($11.36MM) this year makes the Jaguars keeping Engram off the market a logical step. The former Giants first-round pick broke through on his one-year Jags pact, filling a longstanding void for the franchise. Engram’s 766 receiving yards set a Jacksonville single-season tight end record. With mutual interest believed to exist, a tag as a bridge to a summer extension — ahead of Engram’s age-29 season — is a scenario to watch here.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson, S (Eagles)

The Eagles traded two Day 3 draft picks for Gardner-Johnson and moved him from corner to safety. After the ex-Saints slot defender led the NFL in interceptions, he will be in line for a payday. New Orleans and Gardner-Johnson, 25, could not come to terms last summer, leading to the trade, but Philadelphia wants to retain the imported DB. The Bengals kept Bates off the market last year with the safety tag, which checks in at $14.46MM this year. Given the volume of defenders the NFC champions have set for free agency, this looks like a longer-odds scenario.

Dre’Mont Jones, DL (Broncos)

Jones’ statistical production would not be in line with a tag. The talented defensive lineman has yet to surpass 6.5 sacks or 11 quarterback hits in a season, but the former third-round pick has offered consistency and earned praise from the front office. Following the Broncos’ decision to trade Bradley Chubb, GM George Paton identified Jones as a player the team wanted to keep. The advanced metrics also view Jones fondly; Pro Football Focus charts the former third-round pick in the top 20 for pressures since 2019. Jones is believed to be a higher priority compared to guard Dalton Risner, a fellow Denver free agent-to-be.

Sean Payton‘s team using a $19MM tag on a non-Pro Bowler would be risky during an offseason in which the draft capital-poor team — thanks to the Payton trade requiring a 2023 first-round pick — faces a key free agency stretch. Jones, 26, sticking around should also depend on whom the Broncos hire as defensive coordinator.

Jordan Poyer, S (Bills)

Buffalo defensive stalwarts Poyer and Tremaine Edmunds are ticketed for free agency, but with the NFL still grouping rush- and non-rush linebackers together under its tag formula, Edmunds is not a realistic tag candidate. The linebacker tag ($20.9MM) trails only the QB price. Poyer, 31, is coming off his first Pro Bowl season and has been one of the Bills’ steadiest players in the Sean McDermott era. Signed during McDermott’s first offseason, Poyer has inked two Bills contracts. He angled for a third, eventually agreeing to an incentive package, and became indispensable during a season in which the Bills lost Micah Hyde to a September neck injury and saw Damar Hamlin face one of the scariest health issues in NFL history in January.

Hamlin aims to return, while Hyde is under contract. But a Bills defense that has seen inconsistency at corner for years could still use Poyer. If the parties cannot strike a deal before March 7, the $14.5MM safety tag may not be too steep here. That said, the Bills may try to avoid a tag and save some free agency dough for Edmunds.

Geno Smith, QB (Seahawks)

A $32.4MM quarterback tag does sound too steep for Smith, his Comeback Player of the Year award notwithstanding. The Seahawks traded Russell Wilson on March 8, 2022; they re-signed Smith to a one-year, $3.5MM deal on April 14. That low-cost, incentive-laden accord effectively illustrated the NFL’s view of the former second-rounder. While Smith’s stunning season upped his value tremendously, it still seems unlikely the franchise tag will come into play. A transition tag — worth $29.5MM and involving no draft compensation — would be a more logical move.

But the top tag has been floated as a Smith-Seattle scenario. The sides have begun negotiations, and Smith’s camp figures to factor the tag salaries into the talks. This process still feels like it will end in a Smith medium-term deal. But after a 30-touchdown pass season that also included an NFL-high 69.8% completion rate, the 32-year-old passer setting a high price as the tag deadline nears would force the team to consider cuffing its starter.

Giants Open To $14MM-Per-Year Saquon Barkley Deal?

February 16th, 2023 at 10:06am CST by Sam Robinson

With Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley‘s free agencies happening in the same year, the Giants face the prospect of losing their two-time Pro Bowl running back. They have made their priority clear: Jones’ positional value will lead to the quarterback being the first order of business. That clouds Barkley’s Big Apple future.

The Giants did approach Barkley about an extension before Jones, entering negotiations with the former Offensive Rookie of the Year during their bye week. But GM Joe Schoen confirmed the sides did not come close on terms. The Giants were believed to have offered Barkley a deal worth around $12.5MM per year. While Barkley said he was not looking to reset the running back market, he is believed to be looking for an accord in the Christian McCaffrey neighborhood ($16MM AAV).

A compromise may be in reach, however. Should the talks move to a $14MM per year compromise, ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan notes that is believed to be enough to finalize a deal. This would place Barkley between the first and second tiers at his position, bridging a narrow gap between the McCaffrey-Alvin Kamara plane ($15MM and up) and the field.

This might not be a splashy conclusion for Barkley’s camp, with McCaffrey’s deal having topped the market for almost three years now, but it would set up the former No. 2 overall pick to be a pivotal part of the team’s Jones-centric future. Guarantee structure would also play an obvious role in Barkley agreeing to an extension ahead of free agency, though the running back — via his draft-slot contract and fifth-year option — has already done quite well for himself.

Barkley has said he would like to return, and it would be interesting to see the Giants’ skill-position centerpiece agree to a new contract before testing the market. Feelers to potentially interested teams would undoubtedly occur, with the Combine (the illegal tampering hub) approaching. But a host of running backs being near free agency also opens the door to a buyer’s market forming at a position that has not fared too well in recent Marches. Since Le’Veon Bell‘s $13.13MM-AAV Jets deal in 2019, no running back has signed for more than $7MM annually on the open market. Each of the league’s RB deals in the $12MM-AAV range — for Dalvin Cook, Derrick Henry, Nick Chubb, Joe Mixon and Aaron Jones — came via extensions.

Then again, Barkley is more talented than just about any back to reach free agency over the past several years. Even with the prospect of Kareem Hunt, Miles Sanders, Jamaal Williams, Devin Singletary and David Montgomery hitting the market together, Barkley would reside as the clear-cut top prize. He led the league in yards from scrimmage (2,028) as a rookie and showed he could hold up for a full season in 2022, totaling 1,650 scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns while anchoring a bottom-tier Giants skill corps. Josh Jacobs and Tony Pollard being tagged would only increase Barkley’s value.

The Giants have been linked to a willingness to match or surpass $35MM per year for Jones, and Raanan confirms the quarterback’s extension is expected to check in north of that number. Jones on this deal and Barkley at $14MM per year — on a team that has extension candidates in Dexter Lawrence and Andrew Thomas — would bring a major change from its 2022 payroll setup, thus impacting the team’s funds for outside upgrades. But the salary cap’s steady rise will be beneficial here. The cap will climb by nearly $17MM this year, moving to $224.8MM.

Conflicting reports have emerged about the Giants’ appetite for tagging Barkley, though Raanan notes a Jones extension before the tag window closes (March 7) leaving the door open for a Barkley tag is the team’s preferred option. Schoen has referenced a Jones tag, but that cap hold ($32.4MM) would hinder the Giants’ free agency plans. Tagging Barkley would cost the Giants just $10.1MM. This limits Barkley’s leverage with the team, and with the tag window opening Tuesday, the Giants’ Barkley-Jones setup remains the most interesting situation on this front.

Giants Notes: Jones, Love, McKinney

February 5th, 2023 at 10:42am CST by Rory Parks

Earlier this week, we heard that the Giants had not yet engaged in contract talks with quarterback Daniel Jones, who is set to hit free agency in March. The contract statuses of Jones and running back Saquon Barkley, another impending FA, have been intertwined for some time, and while the cost of a nonexclusive franchise tag for Barkley (~$10MM) is much lower than it is for Jones (~$32MM), tagging Barkley would considerably reduce the club’s leverage in its negotiations with Jones, because Jones would then have the power to reject any offer and hit the open market.

As such, it makes sense that GM Joe Schoen has resumed discussions with Barkley and may want to get that matter settled before turning his attention to his signal-caller, whose surprisingly strong 2022 has him in an enviable financial position. Previous reports indicated that New York would be eyeing a $35MM/year contract for the Dave Gettleman draftee, and in speaking with six current or former high-ranking NFL execs, Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post says that number sounds about right.

All six experts suggested that a new contract for Jones would feature an AAV between $30MM and $40MM. Of course, guarantees and cash flow are better indicators of the value of an NFL contract than the yearly average, but Jones is in good shape in that regard as well. Dunleavy’s sources suggest that Jones could be in line for $70MM in full guarantees and up to $100MM in total guarantees.

The Brian Daboll/Schoen partnership led to a playoff berth much sooner than many anticipated, and whether or not New York builds on its 2022 success will depend in large part on how it resolves the Jones and Barkley situations. Indeed, the Giants have plenty of other needs, including wide receiver, and even assuming they retain their QB1 and RB1, they will still need to maximize their cap flexibility to prevent regression from a roster that generally overperformed last year.

In addition to outside acquisitions, Schoen has current players not named Jones or Barkley that he may want to take care of. One of those players is safety Julian Love, who saw a massive spike in playing time in the fourth and final year of his rookie deal and who paced Big Blue with 124 tackles. Player and team talked contract during the Giants’ bye week, and Schoen recently reiterated his desire to keep Love in the fold. Per Connor Hughes of SNY.tv, the bye week discussions were fruitful, and it sounds as if a new deal could be on the horizon (Twitter link).

Fellow safety Xavier McKinney missed a chunk of time in 2022 due to a hand injury suffered in an ATV accident, but he has now accrued three years of service time and is therefore eligible for an extension. As Dan Duggan of The Athletic tweets, McKinney recently retained super-agent David Mulugheta, who represents some of the highest-profile safeties in the game. With so many other irons in the fire, it remains to be seen if Schoen will commence contract talks with McKinney in the coming weeks, but whenever it does happen, McKinney will be in good hands.

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