It is not the intent of a general manager to strike a deal with one of his players that is so one-sided and tilts so aggressively toward the team that it is painfully clear who won the negotiation. Joe Schoen did not go into his financial bout with Saquon Barkley to score a knockout, but a contract is finally secured and it is Schoen as the one left standing.
It is hard to fathom that after 10 months of talking and number exchanges it came to this. The Giants conceded nothing and have one of the NFL’s best running backs for the franchise tag price of $10.1 million. That the one-year deal can bump up to $11 million with $900,000 in statistical incentives that are all — yes, all — tied to the Giants making the playoffs this season is in no way, shape or form a compromise. Barkley can blow past the 1,350-yard threshold that triggers the clause — he could run for 1,500 yards — and if the Giants do not get into the postseason Barkley does not cash in. Schoen will be more than happy to pay out a nominal fee if it means Barkley plays like an All-Pro and the team hits the target.
That the Giants did not include the assurance that they would not place the franchise tag on him again in 2024 is another big win for Schoen. This is only his second year on the job but he knows enough about leverage not to give it away.
Let this be a harbinger for any Giants player interested in going toe-to-toe with the man in charge. Schoen did not cave in or move off his spot for a talent such as Saquon Barkley and so you best come with irrefutable evidence and compelling data if you hope to squeeze more money out of this general manager.
The last of the three contracts Barkley was offered included $23 million in guaranteed money. It is not hard to believe in a quiet moment, in private, Barkley regrets not accepting it and moving on.
Finding a resolution the same day the Giants reported to training camp is an interesting and telling decision for Barkley. He said a holdout was a hand he could play and people close to him expected Barkley would not show up for the start of camp. Barkley is conscious of his public image and his presence on the field for Wednesday’s first practice will go a long way in showing that he is a team guy. That is not merely the way it looks, though. Barkley is a team guy and it hurt him to be away from the guys during the offseason workout program.
Clearly, he could not stomach staying away even for only a day or week or two of training camp. Those who criticize him for not sticking to his conviction are missing the point. There was no fight to wage, no message to send, no taking a stand for the greater good of Running Back Nation. Holding out would have been akin to a kid holding his breath because he did not get his way. In the end, all it accomplishes is a headache.
A big winner here is Brian Daboll, who enters his second training camp with the Giants without having to face a 10-question Barkley barrage the moment after he steps behind the microphone. A big winner here is Daniel Jones, who did not need to embark on the next stage of his career — the four-year, $160 million stage — without the full investment of a player who unequivocally makes him better. Jones has 48 touchdown passes and 18 interceptions with Barkley and 16 touchdowns and 17 interceptions without him.
A bigger winner here is Schoen. There will be more deals to do, more of his own players to retain, more holding the line on salary and more tense negotiations to maneuver. Barkley is back — at a bargain.
The only player Schoen lost this offseason that he wanted to keep is safety Julian Love, and that is a story in itself. The Giants saw him as a reliable and versatile safety working in tandem with Xavier McKinney. Love and his engaging personality were a snug fit in the New York market. The Giants offered a deal that averaged $7.5 million a year — likely a bit of an overpay, but Love was very popular.
Love was advised that he could expect to get more than $10 million on the open market. It didn’t happen. The best Love could find was a two-year deal with the Seahawks for $12 million, with slightly less than $6 million in guaranteed money. By the time Love checked back with the Giants, their offer was gone and Love now makes his living in the Pacific Northwest.
The two players the Giants made offers to during last season’s bye week are both going to play for less money in 2023.
The Giants think Barkley’s ego got in the way of making a deal. That ego, though, receded enough for Barkley to make it to camp on time. Score one for Schoen here.