Getty Image / Jim McIsaac
The contract standoff between the New York Giants and Saquon Barkley came to a surprising end this morning.
After months of negotiations and speculation about Saquon’s future, an extra $1 million ended up being enough to bring the star running back’s holdout to an end.
It turns out, that things could have played out very differently in this negotiation.
According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, Barkley’s representatives requested for the Giants to seek a trade after franchise tagging Barkley.
The Giants and RB Saquon Barkley finally have worked out a one-year deal. Back in March/April, they tried to trade him. https://t.co/VegfedggWF
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) July 25, 2023
The report states the Giants called a dozen teams looking for a trade partner in March and April, but obviously no trade ever came.
The Giants would have been facing an uphill battle to get a trade done after this request.
They wouldn’t have been able to get much compensation for a running back on the franchise tag who was looking for more money on an extension than any team in the league was likely to give him.
Barkley has refuted the report, calling it “cap” on Twitter.
🧢🧢🧢
— Saquon Barkley (@saquon) July 25, 2023
Whether it’s true or not, we still could end up seeing Saquon traded before the end of 2023.
The New York Giants face a much tougher schedule during the upcoming season and are due for some serious regression in close games.
If that regression comes, the Giants could find themselves looking at a tough path to the playoffs by the time the trade deadline rolls around.
If that happens, Barkley could end up on the trade block.
However well he plays in 2023, the Giants probably won’t be improving their contract offer when Saquon is a year older. A mid-season trade would help the Giants avoid a repeat of this offseason and maybe get them something to keep building up the roster.
Whatever really happened after the New York Giants franchise tagged Saquon Barkley, at least it seems like it’s over for now.