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Giants WR’s Controversial Analogy Puts Spotlight on the Saquon Barkley Contract Situation

Published 07/16/2023, 1:15 PM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

The New York Giants and their star running back Saquon Barkley are facing a crucial deadline on Monday. They have to agree on a long-term contract extension before then, or else Barkley will have to play the 2023 season under the franchise tag. This means he will only earn $10.1 million for the year, which is far below his market value. Barkley could also decide to sit out the entire season in protest, which would be a huge loss for the Giants.

Barkley’s contract situation has become a hot topic in the NFL, especially after a Giants wide receiver made a controversial analogy about him. Many people are wondering if Barkley, who won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award in 2018, deserves a big payday from the Giants. This has put a lot of pressure on both sides to reach a deal soon.

Giants postponing a ring for Barkley?

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A tweet by Adam Schefter sparked a debate about the value of running backs in the NFL. Schefter reported that the Cincinnati Bengals and Joe Mixon agreed to restructure Mixon’s contract, which was originally worth $9.4 million for this season. The move was seen as a way to keep Mixon happy and loyal to the team.

However, not everyone was impressed by the Bengals’ decision. Connor Hughes, an NFL reporter, replied to Schefter’s tweet with a question. He asked why the New York Giants should pay a huge amount of money to their star running back, Saquon Barkley, when other teams have learned that investing heavily in running backs is not a smart move. His question did not sit well with one of Barkley’s teammates, Darius Slayton.

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This is like not buying YOUR wife a wedding ring because 31 other men decided THEIR wife wasn’t worth it. – Darius Slayton via Tweeter.

Slayton, a wide receiver for the Giants, fired back at Hughes with an analogy. He compared the situation to not buying a wedding ring for your own wife just because other men decided their wives weren’t worth it. His response implied that Barkley is a special player who deserves to be paid accordingly.

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CBS predicts Barkley’s clear fate

CBS Sports reporter Jordan Dajani predicts the fate of four franchise-tagged players. The deadline for long-term deals is Monday, July 17, at 4 p.m. ET. The players under the tag are RB Josh Jacobs (Las Vegas Raiders), RB Saquon Barkley (New York Giants), RB Tony Pollard (Dallas Cowboys), and TE Evan Engram (Jacksonville Jaguars). Dajani believes star player Barkley will stay with the Giants as they value him. The holdout talk is likely just posturing, given the Giants’ recent success. A multi-year deal is expected before the deadline, per reporter Dajani.

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However, the Giants extended quarterback Daniel Jones before the franchise-tag deadline, bypassing Saquon Barkley. Barkley may hold out in Week 1, expressing his aversion to the franchise tag. Seeking over $14 million annually, he aims to become the NFL’s third highest-paid running back. The Giants offered a long-term deal with $19.5 million guaranteed, as per the New York Post.

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Written by:

Mohammad Asif Ansari

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Mohammad Asif Ansari is an NFL writer at EssentiallySports, with a passion for bringing sports news to life through engaging content. As an ardent sports fan, Ansari likes to cover core sports angles. His latest article, “Dallas Cowboys Reportedly Making It Difficult for Aaron Rodgers to Pursue His Dream Team” got a hoard of interested sports readers.
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