The New York Giants were not able to strike a long-term deal with running back Saquon Barkley last offseason, and to be perfectly honest, they did not even seem very interested in doing.
The Giants prioritized Daniel Jones, giving him a four-year, $160 million contract, which was understandable at the time given the season Jones had just had and based on the going market for quarterbacks.
However, New York linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux says that the team should have paid Barkley for it handed Jones a massive deal.
“I believe in Daniel Jones. What I’m mad about is that Saquon — because if you look at the game, the tape, Saquon was responsible for at least 30 percent of our explosive plays, talking about the year (2022) we won the playoff game,” Thibodeaux said on the 7 PM in Brooklyn podcast. “So, for me and for the integrity of working together and hard work, and we all believe the same things, I feel like Saquon should have got paid first.”
Jones’ deal certainly has not worked out, as he struggled mightily in 2023 before ultimately tearing his ACL. The general consensus is that he may have taken his last snap as the Giants’ starting quarterback.
Meanwhile, Barkley is set to hit free agency.
“I don’t know the back end,” continued Thibodeaux. “Maybe it’s a franchise (tag), maybe it’s an extension, maybe it’s blah, blah, blah. That’s none of my business. I can focus on me.”
The problem with Thibodeaux’s assertion is that running backs are not nearly as valuable as they once were. Couple that with the fact that Barkley has a checkered injury history, and you can understand why New York chose to bypass giving him a multi-year deal.
Barkley missed three games with an ankle injury this season and finished with 962 yards and six touchdowns while averaging just 3.9 yards per carry.
It’s looking more and more like Saquon Barkley will be playing his football elsewhere in 2024, and that may end up being the best course of action for both sides whether Thibodeaux likes it or not.
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