After threatening to sit out the 2023 season, running back Saquon Barkley and the New York Giants have a deal.
According to multiple reports Tuesday morning, the Giants and Barkley agreed to a incentive laden, one-year deal that will max out at $11 million. The devil is in the details on the deal.
Barkley will make his base salary of $10.1 million — the initial amount he would have made had he signed off on the initial franchise tag. Plus $2 million in signing bonus money upfront. Moreover he would receive a million dollars for an equal amount paid for 1,300 rushing yards, 11 touchdowns and 65 receptions.
Saquon Barkley did not secure a no-tag clause in this adjusted contract, so the #Giants do have the power to tag him again next offseason. That’s significant. https://t.co/h38WPeP3s6
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) July 25, 2023
The biggest stipulation in the deal is the fact the Giants maintain their ability to franchise tag the running back next off-season. That is a huge amount of leverage that favors the Giants. Should the Giants make to tag Barkley in 2024, it would be a 120 percent increase of Barkley’s 2023 salary.
NOW WHAT?
Barkley will now report to camp, which opens Wednesday for the Giants, and will indeed play football this season. The Giants need Barkley as much as he needs the Giants.
WHY THIS MATTERS…
Barkley ran for 1,312 yards last season, and hauled in 75 percent of passes that were intended his way out of the backfield. Barkley’s stellar 2022 campaign played a major role in the resurgence of quarterback Daniel Jones, who had the best year of his career. Jones completed 67 percent of his passes last year for 3,205 yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions.
compare those numbers to the previous three years when Barkely spent time on the sideline with various injuries, and Jones’ struggles became more pronounced.
As for Barkley, he gets paid and gets to play — which can only help make his case for a long term deal. A messy hold out by Barkley would have hurt his value.
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