New York Giants fans received some satisfying but surprising news while on the train headed into the city Tuesday: Running back Saquon Barkley has agreed to a one-year deal and should be on the field for the first training camp practice Wednesday.
Contract Details for New York Giants RB Saquon Barkley
NFL Media was first with the news that Barkley has agreed to a one-year deal worth up to $11 million. The deal includes a $2 million signing bonus.
While this isn’t the long-term, guaranteed, money-rich extension Barkley had wanted, it’s a reflection that he understands the current NFL dynamic.
Teams simply aren’t giving running backs mega contracts at this point, and what Barkley agreed to is largely in line with what he would have earned on the franchise tag ($10.1 million).
Barkley pledged not to sign the tag and kept that promise. But his new deal isn’t that different than his old one.
Barkley is guaranteed to earn $10.09 million under the new one-year pact, with the opportunity to earn another $910,000 in incentives.
ESPN reports that the deai’s incentives include an equal amount paid for 1,300 rushing yards, 11 touchdowns and 65 receptions. Under the terms of the deal, Barkley could still receive the franchise tag again in 2024.
The new one-year deal was Barkley’s only chance to earn more than the tag at this point in the calendar. The deadline for franchised players to sign extensions was last week.
It’s also a blueprint for fellow running back Josh Jacobs, who, like Barkley, has blanched at signing the franchise tag.
Barkley’s deal is the best possible outcome for all sides. For the Giants, it gets arguably their best player into camp.
And for Barkley, it saves face.
Earlier this month, Barkley revealed how serious he was about getting a better deal during an appearance on The Money Matters Podcast.
“My leverage is I could say, ‘F–k you’ to the Giants, I could say, ‘F–k you to my teammates.’
“And be like, ‘You want me to show you my worth? You want me to show you how valuable I am to the team? I won’t show up. I won’t play a down.’ And that’s a play I could use.”
“I might have to take it to this level.”