The New York Giants are looking to continue building on the momentum that was created in Year 1 under general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll. The Giants shocked everyone by making the playoffs last season and are looking to sustain and improve upon that success in 2023.
Schoen had a little more wiggle room to make some changes to the roster this offseason and took full advantage. The Giants, on paper, are a more talented team now than then their season ended in the Divisional Round against the Philadelphia Eagles. While a gap still exists between the teams, New York is heading in the right direction.
Linebacker Bobby Okereke is exactly what this defense needed as a sideline-to-sideline player to help in the run game. A’Shawn Robinson will do the same along the defensive line along with Rakeem Nunez-Noches. In the secondary, the Giants will be counting on 2023 first-round pick Deonte Banks to create a dynamic duo with Adoree’ Jackson.
Offensively, Daniel Jones has some new weapons in the passing game. Tight end Darren Waller was acquired from the Las Vegas Raiders and when healthy is a true game-changer with his size and athleticism. Parris Campbell also adds another element of speed to the offense, which the Giants were sorely lacking in 2022.
But, there remains one major void in the lineup. Running back Saquon Barkley remains away from the team after having the franchise tag placed on him earlier this offseason. The two sides are talking again and have until July 17th to get an extension finalized. That, in the opinion of ESPN NFL insider Field Yates, is the one move the Giants have left to make this offseason.
“All of the usual caveats about the value of extending running backs near the top of the market apply, as it remains the position where teams can easily find capable players. However, Barkley was the offensive catalyst during New York’s resurgent 2022 season. Both sides have acknowledged a desire for an extension. Barkley wants and deserves to be paid among the top backs, but there has been reporting that he doesn’t necessarily need to be the highest-paid back in the NFL. That could indicate a sweet spot around the $14-15 million per year range.”
The running back market has crashed in recent years as teams no longer value the position. Normally, teams who pay running backs quickly regret the decision to do so. However, the situation with Barkley and the Giants is a unique one.
This offense revolves around the No. 2 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. He is arguably the most important player on the roster to this team finding success on that side of the ball. Healthy in 2022, he proved his worth as the centerpiece of the offense.
If New York were unable to lock Barkley into a long-term deal, their entire game plan on offense would need to change. Jones would lose his safety blanket and the team’s entire dynamic would change.
Working out an extension goes beyond the production on the field as well. Barkley is as respected of a player inside the Giants locker room as anyone and not having him in the fold would be a huge blow to what Schoen and Daboll are putting together inside that building.
