Saquon Barkley

Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, Tony Pollard Fail To Reach Extension Agreements

July 17th, 2023 at 3:01pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the running back market resides as a shell of its form of even a few months ago, the franchise tag deadline has come and gone without any of the three tagged backs reaching extension agreements.

After multiple reports suggested Tony Pollard was not close on a deal with the Cowboys, the Giants and Raiders will not come to terms with Saquon Barkley or Josh Jacobs on respective extensions, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo report (Twitter links). All three backs will be tied to the $10.1MM franchise tag.

The Giants and Barkley looked to be the closest on terms, and the sides had engaged in extension talks since last November. But guaranteed money loomed as a sticking point for the Giants, who will not be seeing their tagged back for a while. As should be expected, Barkley will not report to training camp on time, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Likewise, The Athletic’s Vic Tafur notes Jacobs will not be rejoining the Raiders for a while (Twitter link). All extension talks between the backs and their respective teams must be tabled to 2024.

Both Barkley and Jacobs have been connected to potentially skipping regular-season time; Pollard signing his franchise tender in late March will not allow him to miss training camp work without fines coming his way. Barkley and Jacobs have not signed their tenders and cannot be fined for missing camp workouts. While Pollard will be expected to report to the Cowboys on time, it will almost definitely be a while before Barkley and Jacobs — both of whom having voiced frustration during this process — show up.

Considering the damage done to the RB market this offseason, it is unsurprising the tag deadline played out this way. Jacobs and the Raiders were never believed to be close on terms, while the Cowboys and Pollard may not have engaged in substantive talks.

The 2023 backfield market crash involved four of the eight-figure-per-year players at the position either being released (Ezekiel Elliott, Dalvin Cook) or forced into pay cuts (Aaron Jones, Joe Mixon). It would be easier at this point to mention the top-market backs whose contracts were not reduced or shed. For what it’s worth, Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara, Derrick Henry and Nick Chubb did not see any pay reductions this year. Austin Ekeler, however, requested a trade and was given permission to seek a relocation; the Chargers back — he of 38 touchdowns over the past two seasons — did not generate much interest. The Cowboys, Giants and Raiders kept their backs off the market; no back who did hit free agency signed a deal averaging even $6.5MM per year.

The Giants and Barkley attempted to come to terms today, with ESPN’s Dianna Russini noting negotiations ran up until the deadline (Twitter link). No deal commenced. After the Giants were believed to have climbed a bit on guarantees, their final offer was also lower on average annual value. New York had previously offered Barkley a deal averaging in the $13MM-per-year neighborhood — a proposal the team made during the parties’ winter negotiations — and included around $19MM in guarantees. The team came up on guarantees earlier today, with that number rising toward $22MM. None of it ended up mattering, as Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano adds neither side moved “nearly enough” to finalize an extension (Twitter link).

No terms are known in the Jacobs talks, which provided a fairly clear indication a deal was not especially close. Like the Giants, the Raiders appeared fine carrying their starting running back’s $10.1MM tag number on their cap sheet. Of course, it will be worth wondering when both players show up.

Jacobs has earned barely $11MM — via his rookie contract — during his career, while Barkley has pocketed almost $40MM. The Giants back would be in a better position to exercise the Le’Veon Bell nuclear option — skipping games in protest of the tag. Barkley listed the Bell boycott as a potential option, but that also likely was a leverage ploy. It would be interesting to see if Barkley would be willing to use his money earned to punish the Giants here, but that has never loomed as a realistic scenario. Barkley and Jacobs will cost themselves $560K for each game missed. To be fair, Bell still found a willing buyer — the Jets, who gave him a four-year, $52.5MM deal — in free agency after sitting out a season for preservation purposes. It would not seem such a suitor would exist, given the present state of the position, if Barkley or Jacobs took this route.

The last eight-figure-AAV running back contract to be authorized came in July 2021 — the Browns’ three-year, $36.6MM Chubb extension. While Chubb, Jones, Henry, Cook and, to an extent, Kamara and McCaffrey have played well on their big-ticket extensions — McCaffrey doing so after being traded to the 49ers — teams are shifting in the other direction at this position. Barkley and Colts extension candidate Jonathan Taylor sent out ominous tweets regarding their position’s state Monday afternoon. Taylor’s rookie deal expires after this season. Seeing as the running back tag has gone down from the time Bell was twice tagged — for $12.12MM (2017) and $14.54MM (2018) — a Taylor tag certainly will be a logical next step for the Colts.

As for Pollard, ESPN.com’s Todd Archer indicates the Cowboys did submit a proposal to their tagged back. But it does not sound like the sides went too deep on contract talks (Twitter link). Pollard has been fine playing on the tag, per the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Clarence Hill (on Twitter). Unlike Barkley and Jacobs, however, Pollard may not be a strong candidate to be retagged in 2024. Trevon Diggs is also set to play on an expiring contract this year.

Giants, Saquon Barkley To Re-Engage In Contract Talks; No Deal Imminent

July 17th, 2023 at 8:52am CST by Adam La Rose

Today marks the deadline for franchise tag recipients to sign multi-year deals and avoid playing on the one-year tag for the 2023 season. That leaves only a few hours for the Giants and running back Saquon Barkley to come to an agreement.

Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post reports that the sides are expected to conduct further negotiations ahead of the 3pm central deadline (Twitter link). He adds that periods of contract talks have been few and far between in recent weeks, as New York has remained firm at its price point while the 26-year-old has attempted to use his limited leverage to achieve a larger guarantee than the $22MM he would earn on consecutive franchise tags.

With plenty of ground left to cover in a matter of hours, ESPN’s Jordan Raanan tweets that neither party is optimistic a deal will be reached today. That sentiment is echoed by Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports (via Twitter), who adds that a contract for Barkley, Josh Jacobs of the Raiders or Cowboys‘ back Tony Pollard would come as a surprise at this point. Only Pollard has signed his $10.1MM franchise tag as of now.

As a result, both Barkley and Jacobs would not be obligated to attend their respective training camps if they exited today without a long-term deal in hand. Both backs have been named as a candidate to sit out during Week 1, though the prospect of choosing to miss out on game checks would make such a scenario an unlikely one. Playing on the tag in 2023 would be an unwanted consolation for both players looking to reverse a downward trend in the running back market, something highlighted this offseason in particular.

To date, the highest guarantee figure Giants have been willing to offer is $19.5MM, but that appears to have recently changed. Dunleavy tweets that New York has submitted an offer “in the ballpark” of $22MM in terms of guarantees, but with a decreased annual average value compared to the one including $19.5MM. General manager Joe Schoen has shown a willingness to change the team’s position as circumstances shift. After their last-minute deal was worked out with quarterback Daniel Jones in March, the Giants withdrew the standing offer which was in place for Barkley, allowing them to apply the franchise tag. How far the team decides to go in terms of length, AAV and guarantees will be worth watching closely, especially as it relates to negotiations between Jacobs and the Raiders.

Barkley enjoyed a career year on the ground in 2022 (1,312 rushing yards), serving as the focal point of New York’s offense. The past campaign was only his second one spent at full health, however, and the team has Jones on the books through 2026 and a modified pass-catching corps led by tight end Darren Waller in place to help him take what they hope will be a notable step forward this season. The degree to which Barkley fits into the Giants’ intermediate- and long-term plans will be determined soon.

Tag Rumors: Barkley, Jacobs, Engram

July 14th, 2023 at 9:59pm CST by Ely Allen

With the Monday deadline for franchise tagged players to sign long-term deals approaching fast, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo gave some quick updates on the last remaining franchise tagged players. The Ravens and quarterback Lamar Jackson agreed to a long-term deal, as did the Commanders and defensive tackle Daron Payne, while Cowboys running back Tony Pollard has decided to play out the 2023 season on the franchise tag. This leaves Giants running back Saquon Barkley, Raiders running back Josh Jacobs, and Jaguars tight end Evan Engram as the last remaining cases to be solved.

According to Garafolo, there hasn’t been much good traction on a deal between New York and Barkley. He reports that the two sides “are still far apart.” He notes that three days is technically plenty of time to get a deal done, especially for the franchise that signed quarterback Daniel Jones to a new deal minutes before the franchise tag deadline. Garafolo confirms that Barkley has “threatened to potentially holdout into the season,” meaning that he certainly shouldn’t be expected at training camp unless a new deal is reached.
Similar news for Jacobs, as we’ve been reporting throughout the day. It’s become clear that he and Las Vegas are not near an agreement as the clock ticks down. Garafolo relays a report from colleague Tom Pelissero that Jacobs is not going to be at training camp without a new deal and is also a candidate to holdout into the regular season.
Engram’s situation appears to be a bit less harrowing. Despite the fact that Engram wasn’t present for the team’s spring OTAs and minicamp because of the unsigned tag, he is still expected to be present at training camp, even if the two sides fail to reach an agreement on a long-term deal. According to Garafolo, the likelihood of that deal coming to fruition appears to just under a 50-50 chance.

Saquon Barkley Seeking More Than $22MM Guaranteed?

July 13th, 2023 at 9:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

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.

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.

Latest On Giants, Saquon Barkley

July 13th, 2023 at 1:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

JULY 13: An interesting twist to the Barkley negotiations has emerged. Ed Berry of CAA, who has long been involved in marketing for Barkley, is now involved in contract talks. Florio reports that Berry was added to the franchise-tagged star’s camp last month to provide an extra voice in negotiations. As a result, Barkley is now represented by both CAA and Roc Nation (in the form of Kim Miale) as talks are nearing the deadline-imposed finish line.

Meanwhile, Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post reports that the Giants’ best offer to date included $19.5MM in guaranteed money (Twitter link). Consecutive franchise tags would equate to $22.2M in guaranteed money, so it comes as little surprise that Barkley would turn down such a proposal.

JULY 12: In one of the more eventful stretches for a team and the franchise tag in recent NFL history, the Giants have until 3pm CT Monday to extend Saquon Barkley. As the deadline nears, this situation reminds of their point-of-no-return situation with Barkley and Daniel Jones in March.

Prior to that point, the Giants had made a second offer to Barkley — a deal worth more than $13MM per year. The five-year veteran declined the proposal, with Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk noting the talented running back sought a contract in the $16MM-per-year neighborhood. That would have matched Christian McCaffrey‘s position-record average, which has stood as the top running back contract since April 2020.

The Giants informed Barkley that a declined offer would mean the proposal would be pulled if the team tagged him. The subsequent Jones agreement — a four-year, $160MM accord reached minutes before the March deadline for teams to apply franchise tags — led to the Giants following through with that plan/threat, tagging Barkley and withdrawing their best offer. While the parties have continued off-and-on negotiations during the spring and summer, they are believed to be at an impasse.

Earlier this offseason, a report suggested Barkley was pushing for a top-market contract. Barkley, however, said following the Giants’ divisional-round loss to the Eagles he was not looking to reset the market. Pushback has since come out regarding Wednesday afternoon’s report.

The Giants’ offer is believed to have included $26MM in the first two years, per Florio. Only two veteran backs (McCaffrey and Derrick Henry) are tied to guarantees north of $20MM. It does not seem like all $26MM in Barkley’s offer was locked in, with insufficient guarantees being an issue for the running back’s camp. Indeed, the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy notes the offer did not include $26MM guaranteed. Barkley also disputes this report (Twitter links). A $16MM-AAV ask never seemed realistic to the standout back, Jordan Raanan adds (on Twitter).

Even if Barkley is angling for McCaffrey-level money, a case exists for it. However, that case was stronger before the carnage at the running back position this offseason. On one hand, the salary cap has climbed since McCaffrey’s four-year, $64MM Panthers extension; the cap stood at $198.2MM at that point. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic reducing the salary ceiling in 2021, it has rebounded to $224.8MM this year. OverTheCap lists $256MM as the projected 2024 ceiling. The cap spiking by $32MM between 2023 and ’24 will lead to position-record deals; will a team be willing to authorize one at running back?

Since Barkley was first connected to $16MM-AAV territory, two of the top four RB contracts (for Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook) have been shed. The Packers and Aaron Jones agreed to a pay cut that provided more 2023 guarantees; the Bengals have been connected to asking Joe Mixon to accept a trim. No free agent back signed for more than $6.35MM per year, and Austin Ekeler‘s trade request — which came about because he is tied to a Chargers-friendly extension ($6.13MM per annum) — did not spark much interest. During a mostly uninterrupted period of the league devaluing running backs, 2023 has brought a widespread bloodbath.

Then again, free agency was not a true representation of the RB market, since the three tagged backs — Barkley, Josh Jacobs and Tony Pollard — were not available. Barkley, 26, also means more to the Giants than most backs do to their respective teams, seeing as Big Blue recently extended a middling quarterback and has question marks at wide receiver and tight end. It will be interesting to see what other terms are thrown around before Monday’s deadline. Given the frequency of Barkley-related updates this offseason, it seems likely we will find out the particulars.

Saquon Barkley To Consider Skipping Week 1 If No Extension Reached

July 12th, 2023 at 11:38am CST by Sam Robinson

Five days out from the franchise tag extension deadline, three players — Saquon Barkley, Evan Engram and Josh Jacobs — have not signed their tenders. If no extensions are reached by Monday’s 3pm CT deadline, the trio will not be obligated to report to training camp.

After Jacobs has been connected to rumors of potentially sitting out the Raiders’ regular-season opener, Barkley has now been mentioned as having a chance to stay away from the Giants once the season starts. Barkley’s Week 1 availability against the Cowboys would be “in serious question” if no extension is agreed to, Dianna Russini of ESPN.com tweets.

This course of action would cost Barkley a game check, but the former No. 2 overall pick is in a unique position compared to other backs who have been tagged. Whereas Jacobs collected his four-year rookie-deal salary as a No. 24 overall pick and Pollard played four Dallas seasons on a fourth-round contract, Barkley earned more than $31MM over his first four years due to his draft slot. The Penn State product then added $7.2MM on the fifth-year option last season, bringing his career earnings close to $40MM.

Barkley missing Week 1 would cost him $560K, and his NFL earnings to date offer him some protection. Barkley, 26, has also said taking the Le’Veon Bell route — skipping a season in protest of the tag — is a consideration. This would be a highly unlikely scenario, however, as it would mean punting on $10.1MM fully guaranteed. Only Bell has gone through with radical route this century. A threat of missing Week 1 will be used as leverage as well, as Barkley is obviously a central component in the Giants’ offense, ahead of Monday’s deadline. Barkley has already been connected to skipping training camp, as Bell did during the first year the Steelers tagged him.

For now, Barkley and the Giants remain at a stalemate, Russini adds (on Twitter). The Giants came through with a resolution at the previous tag deadline, extending Daniel Jones on a four-year, $160MM deal and then tagging Barkley in March. Upon unholstering the tag, the Giants withdrew their extension offer to the sixth-year running back. The team had offered the two-time Pro Bowler more than $12MM on average during November 2022 negotiations and upped the proposal to beyond $13MM AAV earlier this year. Neither offer, however, was believed to have high-end guarantees. Guaranteed money remains a sticking point here.

Last week, some optimism was believed to exist regarding an extension. Ownership remains behind Barkley, and it will be interesting to see if that impacts a final push for a deal. While running back value has taken another dip this year, the Giants are one of the NFL’s more RB-reliant teams. Jones and a low-end pass-catching cast relied on Barkley last season, and the former Offensive Rookie of the Year rebounded from an injury-plagued stretch to lead the team to the playoffs. The Giants have made some skill-position upgrades this offseason. But both their receiving and tight end additions come with questions. Darren Waller has encountered considerable injury trouble over the past two years, and none of Big Blue’s wideout acquisitions will be viewed as a No. 1-caliber target this season. Third-rounder Jalin Hyatt is not expected to be a Week 1 starter.

With the salary cap expected to spike again in 2024, it is interesting teams have cut costs further at running back this year. Christian McCaffrey‘s $16MM-per-year deal has topped this position group since April 2020, and neither Barkley nor Jacobs appears a candidate to take that down. The Giants will also need to decide whether to give Barkley a deal that includes more than $22MM guaranteed, which would cover the cost of a 2024 franchise tag. McCaffrey, Derrick Henry and Bijan Robinson are the only backs attached to more than $18MM guaranteed.

Options As Clock Ticks Down On RB Franchise Tags

July 10th, 2023 at 1:40pm CST by Ely Allen

JULY 10: During an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show, Darlington added to his previous reporting on the Barkley and Jacobs situations (video link). He stated that Barkley remains the likelier of the two backs to ultimately sign a long-term deal before the deadline, with Jacobs’ tenure in Vegas having seemed uncertain since the arrival of head coach Josh McDaniels last year. Many of the remaining RB free agents – including, quite possibly, Dalvin Cook – will see their value determined in part by the developments (or lack thereof) which take place with the Giants and Raiders in the coming days.

JULY 9: Running back has notoriously become the most difficult position at which to earn a salary worth your performance in the NFL. For the clearest examples we’ve seen of this, look no further than Josh Jacobs and Saquon Barkley.

Both running backs delivered elite performances in contract years, which at any other position would set them up for big extensions. Unfortunately, both players were franchise tagged by their respective teams and have threatened holdouts to try and gain leverage in their contract negotiations. So, how do their teams respond to the situation? After talking with league executives, Dan Graziano of ESPN provided a few options.

The first option involves both players getting a “fair market” deal, a new contract extension that will keep Jacobs and Barkley home. Another option involves the team’s doing nothing. They would allow the backs to play out their tags and likely tag them a second time the following offseason. A third option would try to avoid the second. With the second option being the most likely, the teams could offer the two a two-year, fully guaranteed deal that would pay slightly more than two consecutive franchise tags. This provides slightly more security over the next year and a half before the two would hit free agency again. Lastly, Graziano mentions a fourth, “nuclear” option of rescinding the tags then signing someone cheaper.

Because the combination of youth and rookie contracts have proven some success in the recent past, it really feels like most of the decision lies with the teams. Both teams have the simple option of locking the backs down with the franchise tag and then tagging them a second time in 2024 at a still relatively cheap price, compared to other positions. In that situation, the teams get to have their star running backs for the 2023 season but aren’t committed to them past that. If either back shows signs of regression next season, they can allow them to walk away at no financial risk. Jacobs and Barkley can always hold out during the regular season (as their own financial burden), but they’ll just come out the other side in a similar situation.

With the deadline for franchise players to sign multi-year contract approaching on Monday, July 17, conversations are expected to pick up between the teams and running backs. New York and Las Vegas are both expected to make some last-ditch efforts to sign their backs to a deal other than their franchise tags. If either player gets a deal done before the deadline, it will certainly lay the groundwork for the other.

Regardless, in today’s NFL, hitting the open market is the worst-case scenario for a running back. If two consecutive franchise tags is the alternative, at least it keeps them on a roster for 2023. Barkley’s relationship with the Giants has proven a bit less rocky than Jacobs’s relationship with the Raiders, so it might be on Barkley and New York to set the tone if new deals are going to get done.

Looking Into The Four Remaining Franchise Tag Situations

July 6th, 2023 at 10:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Less than two weeks remain until this year’s franchise tag extension deadline. Following spring extensions for Lamar Jackson and Daron Payne, four franchise-tagged players remain. Three of those (Saquon Barkley, Evan Engram, Josh Jacobs) have not signed their respective tenders. Cowboys running back Tony Pollard has, guaranteeing his 2023 salary.

If no extension agreements are finalized before 3pm CT on July 17, these players will be tied to the tag this season. For players who remain on the tag after that date, no long-term negotiations are permitted until season’s end. With one position dominating the tag landscape this year, here is how the four situations look entering crunch time:

Saquon Barkley, Giants; tag price: $10.1MM

Easily the negotiation that has brought the most twists and turns, Barkley has been in off-and-on talks with the Giants since November. The Giants’ Joe Schoen–Brian Daboll regime inherited Barkley, but they have extended two other Dave Gettleman-era draftees (Daniel Jones, Dexter Lawrence) this offseason. But the team’s most popular player finds himself is battling another leaguewide devaluation of the running back position. As Barkley turned down two offers with AAVs north of $12MM — one of those being higher than $13MM per year — the Giants pulled their top proposal off the table after their March extension-tag sequence involving Jones and Barkley.

Barkley, 26, took issue with being characterized as greedy, citing Giants leaks that did not reveal the full truth about the offers he declined. Insufficient guarantees hover at the root of Barkley’s gripes. With the Giants having the option of re-tagging Barkley for barely $12MM in 2023, it is understandable the two-time Pro Bowler would seek a guarantee north of $22MM per year — to cover both tags.

Only two veteran backs (Christian McCaffrey and Derrick Henry) are tied to deals including more than $20MM fully guaranteed. While McCaffrey encountered injuries on his second contract, the 1,000-1,000 performer did not run into Barkley’s rookie-deal health issues. Those could certainly be giving Giants brass pause regarding guarantees.

These talks have included rumblings of Barkley skipping training camp — if unsigned by July 17 — and a (likely idle) threat of following Le’Veon Bell‘s 2018 path of sitting out the season in protest. The Giants are believed to be OK with Barkley playing on the tag, but ownership remains high on the former No. 2 overall pick. That might be driving the recent optimism in these talks. The skill-position-deficient Giants relied on Barkley (1,650 scrimmage yards) last season, and while they have let two players (Jason Pierre-Paul, Leonard Williams) play on the tag, the team has never not extended a player whom it tagged. (Both D-linemen signed extensions after being tagged again.)

Evan Engram, Jaguars; tag price: $11.35MM

Barkley’s former Giants teammate broke through for a Jaguars single-season tight end record last season, posting 766 receiving yards to boost Trevor Lawrence‘s development. The Jaguars added Calvin Ridley but cuffed Engram as well. Both the Jags and the seventh-year tight end want to strike a deal, but the most recent rumor coming out of these talks placed the sides as far apart on terms.

Dating back to their Julius Thomas miss, the Jaguars have struggled to staff this position. Engram provided a win for GM Trent Baalke, whose first free agency class as lead Jags decision-maker made significant contributions. But Engram also has a history of inconsistency, having never put it together for an extended stretch as a Giant. Engram does have an original-ballot Pro Bowl nod on his resume (2020) and saw the Giants pick up his fifth-year option prior to that performance. His 2021 provided a letdown, but the Giants — with Jones going down with a neck injury that November — were not exactly in position to see any pass catcher thrive at that point.

Guarantees are undoubtedly an issue here. A 2024 Engram tag would cost $13.62MM, likely giving the 28-year-old pass catcher a guarantee target of $25MM. Only three veteran tight ends (Mark Andrews, George Kittle, Hunter Henry) have secured that at signing, but with those deals taking place in 2020 or ’21, Engram can make a case — on a $224.8MM salary cap — he deserves such security as well. The tight end market appears out of step with its top cogs’ contributions, with Travis Kelce still tied to a $14.3MM-per-year deal. That offers an interesting complication in these Engram discussions as well.

Josh Jacobs, Raiders; tag price: $10.1MM

A threat to miss game checks makes more sense from Barkley, who has earned nearly $40MM in five seasons. Jacobs following suit is less logical, as he has made $11.9MM in four NFL years. The Raiders passed on Jacobs’ fifth-year option, and he proceeded to become the team’s first rushing champion since Marcus Allen did so in a 1985 MVP season. Jacobs, 25, zoomed onto the tag radar with his 2022 performance, but while the Giants have made multiple offers to Barkley, it is unclear if the Raiders are making a serious push to extend Jacobs. The team is still hopeful, but numbers have proven elusive.

The Alabama product has offered cryptic assessments of his negotiations, hinting at making a stand for the running back position. Seeing as Bell has expressed belated regret for passing on $14MM with his 2018 anti-tag crusade, it would surprise if Barkley or Jacobs stayed away into the season. It might be a negotiating tactic, as RBs are low on leverage these days, but the threat of Jacobs skipping Week 1 has surfaced. With Josh McDaniels in a crucial year — after his first Raiders HC season went south quickly — and the Raiders now employing the league’s most injury-prone quarterback (Jimmy Garoppolo), Jacobs putting regular-season absences on the table is an interesting move.

While Jacobs is still more likely than not to be in uniform in Week 1, the prospect of an injury or regression affecting his 2024 market should be a factor here. Jacobs’ light Crimson Tide workload (251 college carries) worked in his favor, but the Raiders giving him an NFL-most 393 touches last season undercuts that advantage to a degree. Players to log that many touches in a season over the past 10 years (Henry, McCaffrey, Bell, DeMarco Murray) either fared far worse the following year or, in Bell’s case, skipped the next season.

With Jacobs not the same threat out of the backfield McCaffrey, Barkley or Alvin Kamara are, a top-market pact will be hard for the fifth-year vet to secure. With McDaniels previously expressing support for the Jon Gruden-era draftee, will be interesting to see what numbers come out of these talks.

Tony Pollard, Cowboys; tag price: $10.1MM

The Cowboys are certainly unafraid to unholster their franchise tag, having used it in each of the past six years. In addition to keeping Pollard away from free agency, Dallas tagged Dalton Schultz, Dak Prescott and DeMarcus Lawrence in that span. With Prescott and Lawrence being tagged twice and Schultz leaving after his tagged season, the Cowboys have been fine letting players carry tag figures into seasons. Considering Pollard’s is the lowest cap hit among Dallas’ recent tags, the team is likely OK with the $10MM number staying on its books this year.

Pollard, 26, presents perhaps a more interesting case for a mid-2020s ascent compared to the Giants and Raiders backs. He has taken just 510 handoffs as a pro — Barkley sits at 954, Jacobs at 1,072 — and offers pass-game explosiveness that helped lead Dallas to drop Ezekiel Elliott.

The six-year, $90MM Elliott extension did not age well for the Cowboys, who are eating $11MM-plus in dead money over the next two years after the post-June 1 cut designation. But Elliott also accumulated more mileage (868 carries) before signing that extension. Pollard’s rookie-contract usage rate and skillset point to a promising late-20s stretch. Although Elliott’s deal helped spread out his cap hits, the Cowboys are eyeing a shorter-term Pollard pact.

As a former fourth-round pick, Pollard was smart to sign his tender and secure the guaranteed salary. Coming off a season in which he totaled 1,378 scrimmage yards and 12 touchdowns, the Memphis alum’s arrow is pointing up. The Cowboys can look at the deal the Packers gave dual-threat back Aaron Jones in 2021 (four years, $48MM) as an example of a good contract for a multipurpose back. The organization’s history with re-tagging players should also point to Pollard aiming for $22MM-plus in guarantees, but with no back earning between $7MM and $12MM on average, both Pollard and the team have interesting decisions to make in the coming days. Unlike Schultz’s 2022 tag period, however, updates have been scarce regarding Pollard talks.

Optimism Exists Giants, Saquon Barkley Will Reach Extension Agreement

July 4th, 2023 at 9:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

Less than two weeks now remain until the deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign extensions. Barring an agreement by 3pm CT on July 17, Saquon Barkley will be back in a contract year.

The Giants have their five-year starting running back tied to a $10.1MM franchise tag salary. Not coming to an agreement soon would force the injury-prone Barkley to prove himself yet again and miss out on using an upcoming age-26 season as a negotiating point. Conversely, the Giants reaching a deal would drop Barkley’s 2023 cap number and put a key matter to rest with their most popular player.

Barkley has voiced issues with the news coming out of his extension talks, but the latest offering provides some hope a resolution is near. Some level of optimism exists this process will end in a deal, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler said during a SportsCenter appearance (h/t Giants Wire’s John Fennelly). Giants ownership also still views Barkley as a “centerpiece-type player” for the team, Fowler adds. That might be a key component of these long-running negotiations, which started last November.

The Joe Schoen–Brian Daboll regime inherited Barkley, whom Dave Gettleman drafted second overall in 2018. John Mara and Steve Tisch, of course, were present when Barkley emerged from Penn State as one of the best running back prospects in modern NFL history. The 2018 Offensive Rookie of the Year, Barkley has been the face of the Giants’ franchise since Eli Manning retired. Although injuries have intervened, the New Jersey native bounced back last season to lead a shorthanded offense to the playoffs. That effort led to a Daniel Jones $40MM-per-year extension and Barkley being kept off the market via the tag, leading to some acrimony.

Barkley’s 1,650 scrimmage yards last season did not top his rookie-year mark (2,028), but only Tiki Barber and Joe Morris have topped the 2022 number in team history. While the Giants have added key pieces at tight end (Darren Waller) and wide receiver this offseason, Barkley will still serve as the team’s skill-position anchor — with or without an extension — this season.

Barkley’s options are limited if he cannot come to an agreement by July 17. He referenced Le’Veon Bell‘s skipped 2018 season, and a recent report indicated the veteran back could stay away from training camp. But come Week 1, Barkley would see missed game checks begin to pile up. This is probably a bigger issue for Josh Jacobs and Tony Pollard, considering Barkley’s nearly $40MM earned as a pro, and the Raiders back looks to be using the threat of missed games in his negotiation. It would still surprise if Barkley were not with the team by Week 1, but it is certainly understandable he would use every weapon at his disposal as talks transpire during a bleak offseason for running backs.

These Giants-Barkley talks have hinged on guarantees, and Fowler adds the two-time Pro Bowler wants a better contract structure. The two offers Barkley turned down — of them being north of $13MM per year — were not believed to have presented strong guarantees. Besides Bijan Robinson‘s $21MM-plus in guarantees at the No. 8 draft slot, only Christian McCaffrey ($30.1MM) and Derrick Henry ($25.5MM) are tied to deals including more than $20MM locked in. With a 2024 Barkley tag price checking in at $12.12MM, the dual-threat back almost definitely wants at least a $22MM guarantee to cover the two tags.

The Henry deal led to a second rushing title and a strong 2022 season, while McCaffrey played a lead role in the 49ers’ 12-game win streak. Injuries intervened for both on their second contracts, and Barkley missed chunks of the 2019-21 seasons due to maladies (most notably a torn ACL in 2020). Barkley’s injury history has undoubtedly come up during extension talks, but he stayed healthy last year. How the Giants proceed here will be a key chapter in one of the most eventful offseasons at the running back position.

Giants Still In Talks With Saquon Barkley

June 21st, 2023 at 10:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Giants have until July 17 to reach an extension agreement with Saquon Barkley. Otherwise, the Pro Bowl running back would be forced to play the season on the franchise tag. While acrimony has come out during this process, Barkley is still in talks with the Giants, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.

Barkley turned down multiple proposals from the Giants, one of which in the $13MM-per-year neighborhood. The former Offensive Rookie of the Year has expressed frustration about the leaks from the team’s side during the talks, and the Giants’ previous top offer — which was taken off the table after team applied the tag in March — is not believed to have been favorable on the guarantee side.

Offer No. 1 came during the Giants’ bye week last season, and it was believed to be north of $12MM per year. But Barkley and the Giants did not come close to a deal at that point. The second proposal came this offseason, when the Giants attempted to keep both Barkley and Daniel Jones off the market. They succeeded, extending the fifth-year quarterback minutes before the franchise tag deadline. The third phase of discussions began shortly after the draft, per the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy (Twitter link). Since the Barkley tag, however, not much has come out regarding terms.

The prospect of Barkley missing training camp — absent a long-term deal by the July extension date — has emerged, but Rapoport notes the Penn State product should not be expected to follow in Le’Veon Bell‘s footsteps by skipping the season. While Barkley responded in the affirmative when asked if this strategy was in play, the sixth-year back passing on a $10.9MM guaranteed salary has never been a likely scenario.

While the Giants pulling their offer to Barkley suggested these negotiations could take a bad turn, Rapoport adds a deal should not be considered out of the question. The 26-year-old back is the team’s most popular player, and few running backs are as important to their respective franchises. That said, Barkley went through three injury-plagued seasons prior to a breakthrough contract year.

The Giants being hesitant to provide a substantial guarantee is understandable, and the running back market losing two top contracts (Ezekiel Elliott, Dalvin Cook) this offseason while seeing the other free agent backs struggle did not help the tagged contingent (Barkley, Josh Jacobs, Tony Pollard). Jacobs has expressed disappointment with his time on the tag as well.

The Giants have used their franchise tag seven times since the tag’s 1993 inception and have never failed to hammer out an extension, though two players did play on the tag before being re-signed following a second tag. The team reached an agreement with tackle Jumbo Elliott in 1993 and extended punter Steve Weatherford in 2012. Both Jason Pierre-Paul and Leonard Williams were tagged twice; each signed an extension following the second tag (in 2017 and 2021, respectively).

Barkley bucking that trend would certainly be a notable development for the team, which has also given a big-money deal to Dexter Lawrence this offseason. But if the Giants do not submit an offer with at least $22.2MM guaranteed — which would cover a second Barkley tag in 2024 — it will put the dynamic back to a tough decision.

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