Beat writer suggests Saquon Barkley fix Giants would likely decline

Shortly after the New York Giants officially declined to use the franchise tag to retain the rights to star running back Saquon Barkley before Tuesday's deadline for such decisions, Giants beat writer Steve Serby of the New York Post suggested Barkley and team general manager Joe Schoen could still sign a contract "that makes sense" for both sides.

"Three years, $33M with $24M in guarantees," Serby proposed. 

Serby also argued that the Giants should look to hold onto Barkley for reasons that go beyond what the running back can and/or cannot offer the organization as it pertains to on-the-field production.

"Unless and until the Giants draft or sign a No. 1 receiver, Barkley is the Giants' best playmaker," Serby explained. "He is universally respected in the locker room. He is a captain. It has meant so much to him to be a New York Giant." 

That's all well and good, but there was no indication as of Wednesday morning that Schoen would agree to the figures attached to Serby's deal. 

It was reported on Tuesday that the Giants simply "don't see the value in paying a running back $10M," let alone one who turned 27 years old in February, has a noteworthy injury history and failed to rush for 1,000 yards across 14 games this past season. 

Barkley missed three contests during the 2023 campaign because of an ankle sprain. 

NFL reporter Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post reported on Tuesday afternoon that "no contract offers were made and no numbers were exchanged by either the Giants or by Barkley’s new agent Ed Berry during the eight-week negotiation window since the season ended, including during a no-hard-feelings face-to-face meeting at the NFL scouting combine." 

If Jordan Raanan of ESPN is correct about a playoff team such as the Houston Texans or Baltimore Ravens offering Barkley a contract worth close to $10M per season as soon as next week, the second pick of the 2018 NFL Draft has probably taken his last meaningful snap with his current employer. 

Schoen appears ready to let starting safety Xavier McKinney test the open market and may be telling teams that he wants to draft a replacement for starting quarterback Daniel Jones later this spring. 

Paying a veteran running back makes little sense for a rebuilding team, and Schoen certainly seems to be restructuring the squad after the Giants finished the 2023 season at 6-11. 

"Don’t cut Saquon Barkley’s throat if you don’t have to," Serby added in his piece. "It would send the worst possible message to a locker room that reveres him. As would replacing him with one of the other available backs. You keep your own if you can."

Schoen may be saying plenty about his thoughts on the New York roster by not keeping his own this offseason.