Saquon Barkley

Cowboys, Commanders Did Not Make Free Agent Offers To Saquon Barkley

June 30th, 2025 at 12:18pm CST by Adam La Rose

Last year’s edition of the HBO Hard Knocks: Offseason series featured plenty of insights into Saquon Barkley‘s negotiating process with the Giants. His departure on the open market took place in the form of an Eagles pact (one which proved to be quite worthwhile, to say the least) after other inquiries were fielded.

Barkley has previously noted that he received four offers during his free agency last spring. At least two of those were more lucrative than the three-year, $37.75MM pact he ultimately signed with Philadelphia. Giants owner John Mara was notably concerned about the possibility of Barkley signing with an NFC East rival, but it turns out the Eagles were the only suitor in that division.

The 2024 rushing champion said at a recent charity softball game (video link) that neither the Cowboys nor the Commanders reached out to express free agent interest. Dallas has been the subject of criticism at that position given the links made between the team and All-Pro Derrick Henry. The Cowboys never made an offer in his case, paving the way for a Ravens agreement and a season which featured 2,114 scrimmage yards and 18 total touchdowns. Henry parlayed that production into a Baltimore extension this offseason.

Dallas saw Tony Pollard expectedly depart in 2024 after playing on the franchise tag the previous season. The team’s committee approach did not work as planned, and Rico Dowdle assumed starting duties en route to a career year. The former UDFA topped 1,000 rushing yards and took a deal with the Panthers on the open market. Efforts to replace his production resulted in one-year contracts for Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders. The Cowboys also selected Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah on Day 3 of this year’s draft.

The Commanders, meanwhile, have relied on Brian Robinson Jr. for each of the past three seasons. Austin Ekeler was added in free agency last spring. That tandem (along with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels) helped Washington to a third-place finish in rushing in 2024, and it will remain in place for at least one more season. Barkley certainly would have added more potential to the team’s backfield, but given the team’s emphasis on defensive changes during the transition to the Adam Peters-Dan Quinn regime it is understandable no pursuit took place on that front.

On the back of his historic debut Eagles season, Barkley landed an extension moving him to the top of the position’s pecking order. The 28-year-old has no intention or retiring any time soon, so he is in line to remain in Philadelphia for years to come. That will ensure several more matchups against the Cowboys and Commanders in the coming years.

Eagles RB Saquon Barkley: “I Don’t Plan On Retiring Anytime Soon”

June 15th, 2025 at 10:15pm CST by Rory Parks

Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, fresh off a magical debut season in Philadelphia that culminated in First Team All-Pro and Offensive Player of the Year honors for him and a Super Bowl championship for the club, created something of a panic during a recent appearance on the Green Light with Chris Long podcast.

“I’ll probably be one of those guys that it’ll be out of nowhere [when I retire],” Barkley said. “I’ll probably just wake up one day, whether it’s next year or two years or four years, and just be like, ‘Yeah it’s over.’ I don’t think I will ever lose that passion. I’m just a competitor…” (h/t Patrick McAvoy of SI.com).

Barkley went on to reference Barry Sanders, the legendary Lions RB who abruptly and unexpectedly retired before training camp of his age-31 season in 1999 (and on the heels of a campaign in which he tallied 1,491 rushing yards and earned his 10th consecutive Pro Bowl bid).

“One of my favorite players of all time, probably my favorite player of all time, is Barry Sanders, so probably similar to that,” Barkley added. “Maybe one day it will be out of nowhere. I’ll probably be balling and just be like, yeah, and call it quits.”

Of course, Sanders later revealed that his own decision to hang up his cleats was spurred by frustration with the Lions’ front office and the overall direction of the franchise. Detroit advanced to the NFC Championship Game in 1991, Sanders’ third season in the pros, but the team would not win another playoff contest until 2023. In the year immediately preceding his retirement, the Lions finished 5-11 and in fourth place out of five teams in the old NFC Central.

Barkley, meanwhile, is entering his age-28 season, and in light of the personal and team success he enjoyed with the Eagles in 2024, Philadelphia brass authorized a two-year, $41.2MM extension just one year after signing him to a three-year, $37.75MM accord in free agency. Behind a stout offensive front and in an offense with ample skill-position talent, Barkley led the league with 2,005 rushing yards in the 2024 regular season (in 16 games) and added 278 yards and 15 total touchdowns for good measure. He was equally impressive in the playoffs, recording a league-best 499 rushing yards and five TDs during Philly’s four-game postseason run.

Thanks to the recent extension, he is now under club control through 2028, which would be his age-31 slate. And while Sanders retired with multiple years remaining on what was then a record-setting contract, Barkley later clarified that he has no intentions of emulating his role model’s exit strategy in the near future.

“I don’t plan on retiring anytime soon,” Barkley told reporters, including PHLY’s Zach Berman. “I feel like I’m entering my prime.”

Had Barkley announced his retirement this year, it would have been even more shocking than Sanders’ announcement. And it sounds as if the former No. 2 overall pick of the Giants has designs on at least finishing out his current deal, which is surely good news for Eagles fans.

Barkley did struggle with injuries during his time with New York, and he indicated his eventual departure from the game will be largely dictated by his health.

“I don’t have a set date or how many years I want to play,” he said (via Nick Faria of Athlon Sports). “I would love to play this game as long as God lets me and my body lets me, so that’s really it.”

Eagles To Extend Saquon Barkley

March 7th, 2025 at 3:13pm CST by Adam La Rose

MARCH 7: On his second Eagles contract, Barkley will see a whopping $36MM fully guaranteed, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio adds. The full guarantees cover Barkley’s 2025 and ’26 base salaries and two loftier option bonuses. Barkley’s 2025 option bonus checks in at $15.08MM, his ’26 bonus at $15.45MM. Of Barkley’s 2027 option bonus ($14.41MM), $2.5MM is fully guaranteed. A $1MM roster bonus will be due on Day 3 of the 2028 league year. Barkley will not have a cap number above $10MM until 2027, but the Eagles would not see any cap savings from a release until 2028 because of this contract structure, which also includes four void years.

As the Eagles’ recent contract structure is present here, so are additional incentives. Surpassing 1,500 scrimmage yards will land Barkley $250K, with that number increasing to $500K if he reaches 2,000, Florio notes. The same structure is in place for first- and second-team All-Pro honors, with a first-team appearance bumping him to $500K. A 1,000-yard rushing season and an Eagles NFC championship earns Barkley $250K, with a 1,000-yard rushing year plus another Super Bowl title increasing that number to $500K.

MARCH 4: Saquon Barkley enjoyed one of the most productive running back seasons in NFL history during his debut campaign with the Eagles. That has resulted in a new contract and accompanying raise.

Barkley has agreed to a two-year extension worth $41.2MM, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Two years remained on the Offensive Player of the Year’s original pact prior to this news, but it will substantially increase his earnings. Barkley is now not only the league’s highest-paid running back in terms of annual compensation, but he is the first to sign a deal with an AAV above $20MM.

As part of the financial resurgence of the running back market last offseason, Barkley inked a three-year, $37.75MM deal. The $12.58MM average of that pact moved the former Giant into third in the position’s pecking order and its $26MM in guarantees represented a major investment on the part of the Eagles. Barkley proved to be a worthwhile signing, though, and an even larger commitment has been made. Schefter notes this latest deal includes $36MM locked in at signing, along with an additional $15MM in incentives and escalators.

It will be interesting to see the structure of this new contract. Barkley was set to carry a cap hit of just $7.36MM in 2025, a figure which could raise depending on how his new compensation is paid out. If much of his guaranteed money comes in the form of a signing bonus, though, the added cap charges could be spread out over time (especially if void years are used, which was the case when he signed last spring). Just like the 49ers did last summer with Christian McCaffrey, the Eagles will move forward with a renewed and lucrative investment in a veteran back after seeing him operate as the focal point of the their offense.

Barkley rushed for 2,005 yards in 2024 despite being rested for the Eagles’ regular season finale. That figure was sufficient to break the franchise’s single-season rushing record, and his 2,283 scrimmage yards for the regular season ranked 13th in NFL history. When taking into account the 28-year-old’s output in the playoffs, his 2,504 total yards on the ground represent an all-time record for combined regular and postseason production.

The Eagles will be counting on Barkley being able to replicate that level of success when attempting to defend their Super Bowl title. The team already has a offense featuring a quarterback (Jalen Hurts), two receivers (A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith) and a tight end (Dallas Goedert) each near the top of their respective markets on their current deals. Philadelphia also, course, has a number of notable commitments along the offensive line. The team’s financial planning will now take into account a major Barkley raise over the coming years.

The running back market has long lagged well behind that of other positions. 2024 saw a rebound to an extent, and McCaffrey’s pact (averaging $19MM per year) has now been surpassed in value. Whether or not this Barkley deal represents a turning point from a financial perspective will be an interesting league storyline to follow.

Saquon Barkley Rejected At Least Two Bigger Offers To Join Eagles

February 5th, 2025 at 10:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

Between the Giants beginning Saquon Barkley negotiations in fall 2022 to HBO’s Hard Knocks: Offseason debut last summer, the star running back’s career path has come up numerous times. As Barkley prepares for his Super Bowl debut, more rumors about his fateful 2024 decision are surfacing.

The Eagles landed Barkley in free agency, authorizing a three-year, $37.75MM deal that came with $26MM guaranteed at signing. This represented a windfall for Barkley, whose bet on himself (via a 2023 Giants franchise tag) paid off. The Eagles were not the only Barkley suitor, with a few other teams being part of this derby during what became a historic day (March 11) for running back movement.

It is believed Barkley rejected two better offers to sign with the Eagles, according to the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy. It is both unclear if this pertains to better guarantees or a superior AAV, but Barkley may have been able to raise the boat for RBs higher this past offseason.

Barkley is a Pennsylvania native who played at Penn State; his decision to return home clearly looks like the correct play. Barkley stormed to the rushing title (2,005 yards), albeit after a strong push from Derrick Henry, and likely would have broken Eric Dickerson‘s single-season record had the Eagles greenlit usage in the Week 18 Giants rematch.

The Giants famously did not make an offer to retain Barkley, despite the former Offensive Rookie of the Year repeatedly indicating he wanted to finish his career in New York. The Texans presented him with a proposal but may not have been one of the teams that offered a better deal. A spring 2024 report indicating the AFC South club offered a three-year pact worth around $33MM. Barkley said he received four offers.

Barkley did say the Texans were the team that initially sparked interest, but he appeared on the Bears, Chargers and Ravens’ radars as well. Joe Schoen said a text received on Day 1 of the legal tampering period — the frenzied RB sequence — indicated the Bears were driving up Barkley’s price. It is possible Chicago received word Barkley was out before pivoting to D’Andre Swift (at three years, $24MM). Though, Swift was the first commit during the 2024 free agency period. The ex-Lions and Eagles starter joined the Bears within minutes of the tampering period’s outset.

Of course, illegal tampering regularly commences, as contracts are magically drawn up early during the tampering period annually. An Eagles tampering investigation did not produce punishment (unlike the Falcons’ Kirk Cousins pursuit). The Chargers also made low-level investments in RBs, adding Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins signed for less than $5MM per year between them. The Ravens added Henry at two years and $16MM. It is possible a stealth suitor drove up the Barkley market as well, but the seventh-year vet still fared well on the market — even if he did not take the absolute best offer.

Playing behind Philadelphia’s top-tier offensive line unleashed Barkley, whose playoff performance powered the Eagles to their second Super Bowl in three seasons. Barkley’s 442 rushing yards already rank seventh for a single playoff run. Only John Riggins (1982) and Terrell Davis‘ 1997 slate have Barkley’s postseason showing beat by more than 100 yards, which will be relevant depending on how many the soon-to-be 28-year-old RB amasses against the Chiefs.

The Eagles’ NFC championship game win also produced a $750K bump for Barkley, per CBS Sports’ Joel Corry. This came because the Big Ten product surpassed 1,000 rushing yards in the regular season and the Eagles won the NFC title game. Another $250K would come Barkley’s way if Philly prevails Sunday, ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter adds. Because Barkley triggered his NFC championship incentive, Corry adds that his 2025 and ’26 base salaries will escalate by $250K apiece.

Giants Notes: Daboll, Schoen, Tisch, Barkley, Banks, Eluemunor, Nunez-Roches

February 5th, 2025 at 5:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

When the Giants decided to retain Brian Daboll after a 3-14 season, multiple players expressed surprise, ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan notes. This was not the only instance of a team retaining a coach after a 3-14 campaign this offseason, as the Browns and Titans joined Big Blue here, but New York’s operation had trended downward from 2022 — even though that initial Daboll-Joe Schoen season came as a surprise.

Schoen’s decision to let Saquon Barkley walk turned out to backfire, and the NFL may have a difficult time presenting a viable HBO offseason project after how much the Giants’ offering made the Schoen regime look. While a disastrous 2024 did not cost Schoen his job, players viewed his decision not to submit Barkley an offer doubled as an underestimation of the running back’s value on the field and in the locker room, per Raanan.

Barkley, who had said numerous times he wanted to finish his career a Giant, rampaged for the ninth 2,000-yard rushing season in NFL history and would likely have broken Eric Dickerson‘s single-season record had the Eagles allowed him to play in Week 18. Barkley already delivered a strong revenge performance earlier in the season, and he joined fellow Giants defector Xavier McKinney on the All-Pro first team.

John Mara did not ultimately hold Schoen prioritizing Daniel Jones over Barkley as a fireable offense, as the owner played a key role in that 2023 pecking order forming. Still, as a result of the 2024 offseason decisions and the terrible season that followed, Schoen and Daboll will be candidates for in-season firings if the 2025 slate does not start off better. Distrust emerged in Daboll’s program as well, multiple players told Raanan, though it does not sound as though the fourth-year HC lost the team. He will face a difficult task in completing a rebound, as the Giants do not have a starter-level quarterback rostered just yet.

The team did attempt to fix a cornerback issue in 2023, drafting Deonte Banks in Round 1. That has not worked out just yet, with the Maryland product being benched for his effort level during a midseason game. Several players indicated Banks’ benching against the Steelers was “a long time coming,” which points to the former top pick being a lingering issue — at least leading up to that point. Pro Football Focus ranked Banks outside the top 100 among CB regulars this past season, and neither second-round center John Michael Schmitz nor third-rounder Jalin Hyatt has impressed from Schoen’s 2023 class.

Still, Schoen will hold the keys going into a 2025 draft that may well send a first-round quarterback to New York. When Schoen and Daboll met with ownership regarding their futures last month, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan notes the pair only met with Mara, who then spoke with co-owner Steve Tisch separately. Tisch is not in the team’s facility daily, with Duggan classifying the descriptor “silent partner” as applicable for the 20th-year owner, who has outside business interests. Tisch has not spoken in public about the Giants since 2020.

One of the lead drivers for this Giants season unraveling came when Andrew Thomas suffered his latest injury, a Lisfranc issue that required surgery. The Giants went through multiple plans to replace Thomas, ultimately moving right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor to the left side and bringing Evan Neal off the bench to reprise his RT role. Eluemunor, who had begun offseason work at guard before sliding to RT during training camp, was not a fan of the LT shift, per Duggan, as he has wanted to showcase himself as a reliable right tackle.

A three-year RT starter in Las Vegas, Eluemunor preferred a two-year deal — as opposed to a three-year pact — in an effort to cash in once again in free agency. The nomadic blocker not becoming a steady starter until 2021 did not produce even a midlevel free agency deal until the Giants offered a two-year, $14MM accord. Eluemunor appears to be aiming at another RT season making him a viable option on the 2026 market.

The Giants have several issues to address during this year’s free agency, and they will likely turn to some in-house players to create cap space. One appears to be Rakeem Nunez-Roches, whom Duggan labels a cap casualty candidate. Nunez-Roches operated as a spot starter in 2023, playing behind since-departed D-linemen Leonard Williams and A’Shawn Robinson. A 10-year veteran, Nunez-Roches started all 15 games he played in 2024. The Giants could save $3.6MM by moving on.

NFL Contract Notes: Henry, Barkley, Smith, Reddick, Hubbard

December 1st, 2024 at 7:25pm CST by Ely Allen

Ravens running back Derrick Henry has been enjoying a phenomenal first season in Baltimore. The team signed him to a two-year, $16MM deal that saw him receive $9MM in cash in the first year. Henry’s deal also came with five $500K incentives.

His incentives are maxed out at $2MM, so he can only cash in on four of those five incentives, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. So far this year, Henry has hit on three incentives: 1,200 rushing yards, 13 total touchdowns, and 15 total touchdowns.

The remaining two incentives would require him to reach 1,500 rushing yards or would require the team to win the Super Bowl. While the Ravens still have a ways to go in order to get to the big game, Henry only needs 93 yards in the team’s final four games in order to max out his incentives.

Here are a few other contract notes from around the NFL:

Eagles running back Saquon Barkley also is tracking down some incentives. Smartly, none of Barkley’s incentives revolve around rushing touchdowns, thanks to the infamous “tush push,” per Garafolo and Ian Rapoport. Barkley will earn $250K if he reaches 1,500 scrimmage yards (he’s 36 yards away from that total after today’s game in Baltimore) and an additional $250K if he reaches 2,000. Additionally, each incentive acts as an escalator for next year’s base salary, adding a potential $1MM to his total contract value. He also would receive $250K for a second-team All-Pro or Pro Bowl selection and $500K for a first-team All-Pro selection. That incentive would act as an escalator for next year, as well. Lastly, Barkley would earn $250K each for victories in the NFC Championship Game and the Super Bowl.
Jets left tackle Tyron Smith may have just been placed on injured reserve, but his health up to that point had been paying dividends. His recent injury history required him to settle for a heavily incentivized contract with only $6.5MM in base salary and $12MM in playing time incentives. By playing every snap through nine games, Smith essentially qualified for the 50% of offensive snaps threshold that earns him $2.75MM. Every additional game after that would essentially net him an additional $1MM, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini, with the final five games being worth $1.25MM per week. Unfortunately, he only fit one game in before moving to IR. He could make his way back to earn a couple more incentives, but New York may prefer to get an extended look at their tackle of the future, Olu Fashanu, instead.
Also in New York, pass rusher Haason Reddick still has an opportunity to earn some playing time incentives after ending his holdout, per Cimini. Through the four games (before today) Reddick has appeared in, he has played 179 of 275 defensive snaps, good for about 43 percent. If he can keep that percentage over 40, he’ll earn a $791,628 incentive bonus, but his last two games have seen him only play 37 percent of the team’s snaps, so that bonus may be in danger. Reddick could also earn a $500K bonus if he reaches eight sacks, but with only 0.5 sacks through five games with only five more remaining, that incentive feels out of reach.
Lastly, we saw the Panthers reward running back Chuba Hubbard with a recent four-year, $33.2MM extension. Per our friends at OvertheCap.com, the deal comes with a signing bonus of $7.71MM and only sees the first year’s base salary guaranteed.

Giants Notes: Barkley, Banks, Neal, Hubbard

November 1st, 2024 at 11:47am CST by Sam Robinson

Thanks in part to HBO, Saquon Barkley‘s New York exit has been one of the more thoroughly examined free agency choices in PFR’s history. The NFL’s second-leading rusher this season was not in the Giants’ 2024 plans, and he had effectively decided to move on before this year’s free agency. The 2023 offseason paved Barkley’s path to Philly, and while much is known about the Giants and their six-year RB1 not agreeing on an extension last year, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan indicates Barkley declined the team’s March 2023 offer — believed to be in the $13MM-per-year ballpark — because it included only $19.5MM guaranteed (subscription required).

The Giants famously prioritized Daniel Jones over Barkley in March 2023, re-signing the QB and tagging the RB. When the Giants and Barkley huddled up again before the July deadline, the team’s final offer came in at $22MM guaranteed. That would have covered nearly two franchise tags, though it fell just short of doing so. A guarantee including two tag amounts is generally viewed as the floor for extension talks with tagged players, but this July offer came after the Giants had previously proposed $23.5MM guaranteed, Duggan adds. Barkley passed, as the Giants also reduced the AAV on their final proposal — a three-year, $33MM deal in total — and then proceeded to win a bet on himself.

Barkley pocketed the $10.1MM franchise tag salary and then scored a $26MM guarantee at signing from the Eagles. While Giants pro scouting director Chris Rossetti suggested a value gap may exist between Barkley and the other 2024 FA RBs, the team did not opt for a second tag, leading to the Eagles payday. The Giants were not happy at the appearance of Barkley’s Eagles framework being done before the legal tampering period, per ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan and Tim McManus, who added the Eagles wondered why their rivals were irked due to being prepared to let the two-time Pro Bowler walk anyway. The NFL cleared the Eagles of tampering this summer.

Here is the latest from the NFC’s New York team:

The Giants benched Deonte Banks for what Brian Daboll classified as insufficient effort during their Monday loss to the Steelers. While Daboll confirmed (via the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy) Banks will start in Week 9, concerns about the 2023 first-round cornerback’s effort level have come up previously. Two prior warnings about effort are believed to have came Banks’ way from New York’s coaching staff, per the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz, who adds teammates have expressed issues at the Maryland alum’s work here as well. The Giants made Banks the center of their CB plan this offseason, as they had intended to let Adoree’ Jackson walk (before re-signing the veteran days before Week 1). Pro Football Focus ranks Banks 87th among corners this season.
Evan Neal saw his first 2024 action Monday, playing just one snap in Pittsburgh. The former No. 7 overall pick’s stock has nosedived since his 2023 ankle injury. The Giants had not viewed Neal as their swing tackle going into the season, giving 2022 third-rounder Joshua Ezeudu that role. Ezeudu replaced Andrew Thomas initially but struggled, leading to Chris Hubbard — signed off the 49ers’ practice squad — starting in Pittsburgh. Hubbard will start again in Week 9, Daboll notes, while new Giants O-line coach Carmen Bricillo confirms (via the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard) Neal remains an RT-only player. Neal has done work at LT before and after practice, but the Giants still do not view the demoted RT starter as an option to fill in for Thomas on the blindside.
The Giants met with former Cardinals left tackle D.J. Humphries last week, marking the offseason cap casualty’s first tie to a team since his release. Humphries did not sign, and Daboll (via Duggan) pointed to a financial gap existing between team and player. The Giants hold only $1.7MM in cap space, while Humphries was previously tied to a three-year, $51MM Cardinals deal. The nine-year veteran is coming off an ACL tear sustained in December of last year.

Saquon Barkley: Giants Were Not In Play During 2024 Free Agency

September 24th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

With some notable exceptions (Kirk Cousins, Antonio Brown among them), few players have come up more frequently at PFR during a two-year period than Saquon Barkley. The current Eagles running back’s past two offseasons have continued to generate content, especially as Barkley shows vintage form on his new team.

Hard Knocks revived the Giants-Barkley divorce storyline, but the seventh-year back said the 2023 offseason mattered more in the grand scheme. The Giants memorably franchise-tagged Barkley and joined the Raiders and Cowboys in not paying their tagged performer at the July deadline. That set in motion a chain of events that led Barkley to Philadelphia.

HBO’s maiden offseason voyage offered memorable content, including a Barkley phone call with Giants GM Joe Schoen the former did not know was being recorded. Barkley brushed off that component and said during an appearance on the Dan Patrick Show the Giants were never a true consideration for him this year (video link).

Schoen asked Barkley to allow the Giants an attempt to match an offer he received, but the team’s powwow before this year’s franchise tag application deadline showed little descent when it came to Schoen and assistant GM Brandon Brown‘s preferred strategy of not tagging the veteran RB a second time. The Giants did not circle back and attempt to re-sign Barkley after not tagging him, and the talented back hit the open market (to John Mara‘s chagrin, given where Barkley chose to sign) with a few offers. Barkley’s path out of New York, despite the RB repeatedly indicating he hoped to finish his career there, was set in motion in 2023.

While Barkley jokingly expressed regret Schoen did not alert him of the recorded call, thus negating the RB a chance to play up drama for TV purposes, he revisited to a gripe from last year regarding what he perceived to be Giants-driven reports of the sides’ negotiations. The team had offered Barkley around $13MM per year in the winter of 2023, before re-signing Daniel Jones at the 11th hour and then tagging the more talented player, but dropped the AAV on its final offer before upping the guarantee to around $22MM. Though that was an impressive guarantee on a depressed RB market, the Giants’ proposal ended up short-selling Barkley based on what he received as a free agent. Barkley ended up collecting the $10.1MM franchise tag sum and then securing $26MM guaranteed at signing from the Eagles.

The Texans offered Barkley more than $11MM per year, while the Bears, Chargers and Ravens were in the mix as well. Chicago pivoted to D’Andre Swift, doing so before Barkley committed to Philadelphia, while Los Angeles went with ex-Greg Roman options in Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins. Houston traded for Joe Mixon, giving the longtime Cincinnati starter $13MM guaranteed at signing, while Baltimore turned steady Derrick Henry rumors into a signing. The Giants were not among the four teams to submit Barkley an offer in March.

The Giants ended up with Devin Singletary at three years and $16MM ($9.5MM guaranteed at signing). Thus far, Barkley has made a big difference for an Eagles offense that has dealt with injuries.

Although a Barkley drop in Week 2 opened the door to a Falcons comeback win, he scored five combined touchdowns in Weeks 1 and 3 to propel the Eagles to wins in Brazil and New Orleans. The 27-year-old back leads the NFL with 351 rushing yards. While Barkley carries significant injury risk, he is off to a strong start after joining Philly hours into the legal tampering period.

John Mara Voiced Support For Giants Retaining Saquon Barkley, Did Not Force Re-Signing

July 17th, 2024 at 9:06am CST by Sam Robinson

HBO’s Hard Knocks: Offseason debut has included John Mara cameos, with the owner staying involved in the team’s effort (or lack thereof) to retain Saquon Barkley. After GM Joe Schoen ran down the team’s priorities, Mara still makes it somewhat clear he wants his staff to keep the door open for a return.

As the legal tampering period began, the Giants‘ front office — after passing on a second franchise tag and informing Barkley no offer will come before he hits the market — braced for a departure. After Schoen informed Mara of a text he received that the Bears were driving up Barkley’s price, the owner voiced his long-held preference for the seventh-year veteran to be re-signed. Though, Mara ultimately did not stand in Schoen’s way.

“I’ll have a tough time sleeping if Saquon goes to Philadelphia, I’ll tell you that,” Mara told Schoen. “As I’ve told you, just being around enough players, he’s the most popular player we have, by far.”

The Bears made D’Andre Swift the first commitment of this year’s tampering period, giving the former Eagles and Lions starter a three-year, $24MM deal. That ended up being second among RBs this offseason, with Barkley’s three-year, $37.75MM Eagles deal ($26MM guaranteed at signing) the runaway winner. Swift’s price tag ultimately led to the Eagles pursuing Barkley.

While Barkley’s agent indeed brought the RB’s Philly offer back to the Giants, Schoen did not receive assurances the two-time Pro Bowler would return if the team matched it.

“I told the agent, I said if we match that deal, he’s going to be a Giant,” Schoen said in a conversation with Mara on March 11. “And he’s like, ‘Well…’ You know, he hemmed and hawed, he’s like, ‘I’m not saying that; we’ve got a lot of work to do if that happens.'”

This led to Schoen confirming to Barkley’s agent that the team would not match, keying a separation after six years. Upon receiving the news of the offer Barkley fetched, Schoen told Barkley’s agent the team was out. Barkley’s agent did not initially tell Schoen who made the offer, but the Giants belatedly learned the Eagles did so. Barkley confirmed months ago the Giants did not submit him a proposal to stay, indicating four teams made formal offers. It is fair to assume the Bears, along with the Texans, joined the Eagles in doing so.

Receiving Brian Daboll‘s recommendation, Schoen pivoted to Devin Singletary on a three-year, $16.5MM deal with $9.5MM guaranteed at signing. After Giants pro scouting director Chris Rossetti read the news of the Eagles’ deal with Barkley, Schoen told Mara, “We’re gonna be fine.” As Mara walked out of the meeting with Schoen and Rossetti upon hearing the news of Barkley’s Philly pledge, it appears he agreed.

Mara not strong-arming Schoen to keep Barkley reflects a belief in the third-year GM, and it was not made clear the Penn State alum would have passed on a Philly deal even if New York matched the terms. The Giants did not reach $26MM fully guaranteed at the July 2023 franchise tag deadline, and Schoen’s comments leading up to free agency prepared Mara for Barkley’s exit. Based on Mara’s comments during the early hours of free agency, is safe to assume the owner will be closely monitoring how Barkley fares with the Eagles. This will obviously be a key determinant in Schoen’s long-term Giants future.

Eagles’ Saquon Barkley On Career Outlook, Injury History

July 15th, 2024 at 1:44pm CST by Adam La Rose

Several running backs quickly landed free agent deals this offseason, including Saquon Barkley. The six-year Giant joined the Eagles on a deal featuring $26MM fully guaranteed. Lucrative investments at the position are rare in large part due to the risk of injury and the drop in performance seen as running backs age.

Barkley is entering his age-27 season, a point where many backs struggle to land long-term commitments. The former Offensive Rookie of the Year’s resume also includes a number of injuries, adding to the risk incurred by the Eagles in signing him. Barkley is confident, however, that he will be able to remain productive well into the second chapter of his NFL tenure.

“Marcus Allen played until he was 36, 37 years old,” the former No. 2 pick said (via EJ Smith of the Philadelphia Inquirer). “Barry [Sanders] left at 29, 30 and he left in his prime. It’s what you put in, what you put in is what you get out. That’s any position. There’s this weird thing with running backs right now. Is it a difficult position to play? Yes. Do you take wear and tear? Yes. But who are you or anyone else to tell me how long I can play the game? I call [BS].

“When it’s over for me, it’s over for me. But I feel like if I continue to put the right stuff in my body and do the right things, there will be a day when I’m 32 or 33 and I want to hang it up, and I’m going to do it just because.”

Barkley will be counted on to handle a large workload with the Eagles as their lead back, although the team’s skill position group should lower his usage relative to his Giants tenure. The Penn State product voiced a desire to finish his career in New York, but an offer similar in value to Philadelphia’s did not emerge this offseason. Barkley – who is under contract through 2026 – will need to remain healthy for his Eagles tenure to be productive. After an ACL tear and multiple ankle sprains, questions have been raised about his durability. Barkley does not attribute those to poor conditioning, though, so further injury issues are not a concern on his part.

“I’ve been trying to control everything,” he added. “Like, ‘I have to do this so I won’t get hurt.’ I can’t control that. My three or four injuries I’ve had in the NFL are flukes. There was nothing I could do to change them.”

Plenty of attention will be placed on Barkley’s Philadelphia tenure and his overall longevity. If he manages to produce as expected, his addition will prove to be an effective one from the team’s perspective while allowing him to enjoy a strong second phase in his career.

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