Giants, Saquon Barkley end contract dispute with running back betting on himself

The contract dispute between Saquon Barkley and the New York Giants is in the rearview mirror after the two sides agreed to terms on a deal on Tuesday, one day before the team kicks off its 2023 training camp.

Per multiple reports, Barkley signed a one-year deal worth up to $11 million, slightly more than the franchise tag of $10.09 million he was set to make. 

The deal makes one thing clear: Barkley is betting on himself.

ESPN's Adam Schefter notes he needs 1,350 yards and a playoff berth, 11 touchdowns and 65 receptions to get the full $11 million.

After fellow Pro Bowl running backs Josh Jacobs and Tony Pollard failed to land lucrative contracts at the franchise tag deadline as well, Barkley didn't have much leverage. The Giants will happily pay Barkley $11 million if he reaches the benchmarks laid out in the contract, and in that case, his contract will be an absolute steal.

His total contract value moves him slightly ahead of Cordarrelle Patterson ($10.5 million) and Clyde Edwards-Helaire ($10.8 million) for the 17th-highest among running backs, according to Spotrac.

Thanks to the terms of the contract, it's possible this situation repeats itself next summer. The one-year deal doesn't include anything forbidding New York from using the franchise tag on Barkley in the future.

Barkley emerged last season fully healthy after injuries impacted him from 2020-21. In those two seasons, he only played in 15 of a possible 33 regular-season games, totaling 181 carries, 627 yards (3.5 yards per attempt) and two touchdowns on the ground while adding 323 yards and two touchdowns on 47 receptions.

Last season, Barkley set career-highs in rush attempts (295) and rush yards (1,312) while finishing with the second-most targets and receptions of his five-year career. 

New York reached the postseason for the first time since 2016, defeating the Vikings on the road in the wild-card round before falling to the eventual NFC champion Eagles in the divisional round.

The Giants spent big to retain quarterback Daniel Jones, signing him to a four-year, $162.75 million contract earlier this offseason. The team also added highly priced tight end Darren Waller in a trade with the Raiders in March.

Per Over the Cap, New York's spending puts it at 29th in available cap space. It didn't have much to offer Barkley but couldn't afford to have him miss games over his contract dispute, which he threatened to do if forced to play on the franchise tag.

The Giants avoided having the contract saga blow up on them and were able to sign Barkley to a team-friendly deal. It's a major win for the organization — one of many for New York this season, it hopes.