Report: Pro Bowl RB and Giants 'no closer' to resolving contract dispute

Contract negotiations between the Giants and running back Saquon Barkley continue to draw attention as the parties have yet to agree to a new deal.

Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post reported the parties remain "no closer than ever on an agreement" and have until July 17 to reach a multi-year deal. 

Earlier this offseason, Barkley spurned the franchise tag (a one-year, $10.1M deal) and reportedly rejected an offer worth up to $14M. The free-agent market hasn't favored running backs this offseason, so Barkley and New York started re-negotiating after the draft. 

Dunleavy speculates that guaranteed money could be the remaining contention point. Franchise tags are fully guaranteed. If Barkley plays on the tag for the next two years, he'll make $22.2M, but that may be less than a long-term deal and might be why he's not accepting the Giants' offers.

"If the assumption is that his first two years are guaranteed with just $22M, there's no deal to be made," former sports agent and CBS Sports analyst Joel Corry said, per Dunleavy. "You could deal with that guarantee if the cash flow through those first two years was at least $26.5M."

Per OverTheCap, the Giants only hold $3.8M in cap room. They don't need another large cap number after signing quarterback Daniel Jones to a four-year, $160M contract.

Barkley is New York's best offensive player, though. Last season, the 26-year-old rushed for 1,312 yards and made his second Pro Bowl. The Giants drafted RB Eric Gray in the fifth round, but he may not be a viable replacement.

Both sides should quit bickering and compromise. They keep wasting time with the long-winded negotiation as preparations for the upcoming season begin to ramp up.