Nothing has changed from a few days ago when Giants General Manager Joe Schoen was asked about negotiations with Saquon Barkley’s camp. The sides still haven’t talked recently, but having previously agreed to circle back after the draft, Schoen expects that to happen “over the next couple of days.”
The Giants want Barkley on their team long term, but they also want the running back at a price that makes sense for the team.
Barkley has yet to sign the one-year franchise tag worth $10.1 million for 2023.
“Saquon’s a very good football player,” Schoen said Thursday on NFL Network, via Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. “He was a captain last year. He’s a good locker room guy. I love him. We want him to be here. [We’ve] just got to have a deal where both parties are happy with where you end up, and that’s what we’re going to try to work for and see if we can get something we can both agree on.’’
Schoen hopes talks in the coming days are more productive than they have been since November when Barkley turned down a three-year contract averaging $12.5 million annually, per Schwartz.
“We’ll have some conversations,” Schoen said, “in terms of where we are, where they may be and see if we can get something done.”
Barkley, 26, rushed for a career-high 1,312 yards in 16 games last season. It marked the first season since his rookie season that an injury didn’t keep him out of a game. (He sat out Week 18 with the Giants having already clinched a playoff berth.)
The Giants re-signed Matt Breida and drafted Oklahoma running back Eric Gray in the fifth round last week as backups to Barkley. They need Barkley as their starting back this season and want him on their roster longer than that but only if it makes sense.
