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Saquon Barkley took the best deal he was going to get

With the window closed, by rule, on a long-term deal between the Giants and running back Saquon Barkley, Barkley had potential leverage but not much to be gained from it. Wisely, the Giants and Barkley came together on a way to give him a little something extra, potentially, in exchange for showing up.

While an incentive package of $909,000 (we’re told the triggers are based on 1,350 rushing yards, 65 catches, 11 touchdowns, and the team making the playoffs) and $2 million up front doesn’t seem like much of an increase over the $10.1 million franchise tender, he was most likely going to show up even without a bump. That was the impression created during Saturday night’s Zoom call among running backs; Raiders running back Josh Jacobs won’t be showing up, and Barkley will be.

So if he was going to show up anyway, anything he gets beyond $10.1 million will be a bonus. And he has managed to get the Giants to do something no team has ever done — offer more money than the franchise tender on a one-year deal.

Barkley didn’t get a commitment that the tag won’t be used next year, even if he has a monster season. And that was one of the specific complaints he articulated on Saturday night’s Zoom. If he rushes for 2,000 or more yards, they can just tag him again.

It’s a bad system for running backs. Barkley made the best decision he could in a bad system. He understood his situation and made chicken salad.