EAST RUTHERFORD — The Giants are aware Saquon Barkley isn’t happy. It’s not hard to see why. He didn’t want them to use the franchise tag on him. They did. So, now, New York has a ticked-off tailback.
Only the Giants don’t seem to mind. They continue to talk with defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence about a long-term deal (also absent from the offseason program), but GM Joe Schoen admitted at his pre-draft press conference he hasn’t spoken with Barkley in weeks.
"There’s no rush," Schoen said.
Exactly. There’s not.
And considering the deteriorating value the rest of the NFL world has put on the position, it’s worth wondering if the Giants should pony up big cash for Barkley at all.
Barkley doesn’t have a long-term extension from the Giants because the Giants didn’t want to give him one. The two sides talked. First during the bye this past season, then again right after the year. The Giants were willing to extend Barkley to the tune of $12.5-$13 million annually — impressive compensation for a player whose game is not nearly as well rounded as some want to believe, nor one absent durability concerns.
In the Giants' opinion, this would put him in the same realm as Cleveland’s Nick Chubb.
That wasn’t good enough, though. Barkley wanted near $16 million — Christian McCaffrey money. That’s a large gap. So after agreeing to a long-term deal with quarterback Daniel Jones, the Giants franchise-tagged Barkley, removed their offer from the table, and told him they’d re-engage in conversations at a later date.
That date is not here yet, Schoen said.
The real question is if the Giants' next offer will look anything like their initial.