Why the Giants and Saquon Signed a 1-Year Deal and Not A Long Term Extension

Saquon Barkley is back for the New York Giants after signing a one-year deal with the team. Barkley and the Giants were unable to agree to a long term extension before the 4 p.m. July 17 franchise tag deadline, leaving Giants fans and those around the league shocked.

What no one knew was that negotiations between the two sides were still ongoing after the deadline, trying to figure some type of deal out to make Saquon (somewhat) happy and get him at team activities.

Barkley, who in the 2022 regular season recorded 1,312 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground and 57 receptions for 338 yards in the air, will be a huge keep for the G-Men.

Barkley Contract Details

The one year deal includes a max value of $11 million, with $10.1 million fully guaranteed, a $2 million signing bonus and $909,000 in incentives.

The incentives include 1,350 rushing yards plus a playoff berth ($303k), 65 receptions plus a playoff berth ($303k) and 11 touchdowns plus a playoff berth ($303k), per Adam Schefter.

When comparing the incentives to his stats from last season, the Giants are basically asking for the same production with a little bit extra. Stats that Barkley can certainly put out, as we have seen in the past, but it raises the question of can he do it in back-to-back years?

The deal does NOT include a no franchise tag clause, so if the Giants and Barkley can’t come to an agreement at the end of the 2023 season the G-Men can place the tag on him again.

The incentives that are offered in the contract won’t affect Barkley’s franchise tag number for next year if he accomplishes them or not. The franchise tag in 2024 for Barkley would still be 120% of $10.1 million, or in other words $12.1 million, per Jordan Raanan.

The deal is a steal for the Giants, as they get their star running back with them for another year at about the franchise tag price and they don’t have to count the incentives against the salary cap since Barkley didn’t reach the designated stats last year.

Difference Between 1-Year Contract and The Proposed Extension

The one year contract offers both incentives and guaranteed money, something that Barkley had been vocal about that he needed in a new contract, as he told reporters and podcasters to “read between the lines”.

“Read between the lines” - Saquon Barkley pic.twitter.com/bJ48FCO7Y6

— Big Blue United (@BigBlueUnited) June 14, 2023

The NYG final offer before the trade deadline on July 17 was $11-$11.5 million per year with guaranteed money between $22-$23 million. Even though that guaranteed money is essentially the price of two franchise tags, Barkley wanted $1 - $2 million more a year in guaranteed money, per Ryan Dunleavy.

The one-year deal that Barkley signed isn’t necessarily better than the final offer from the G-Men, however, it gets him back in the building with a potential to earn about a million more than the franchise tag.

The deal also provides the opportunity for the two sides to come to a long term agreement after the 2023 season and creates the possibility of Saquon getting offered more money than the Giants put forth on July 17 down the road.

By putting the franchise tag and contract negotiations in the rear view mirror, the Giants can now focus on the upcoming season and not have to worry if they will have one of the key pieces on the field with them.

How Can The Giants and Saquon Make a Deal After Deadline?

Teams and players can’t make any long term extensions or negotiations after the mid-July franchise tag deadline, however, they can put together a one-year deal. It is extremely uncommon, but the two sides are able to negotiate the one-year franchise tag into a one-year contract, per Ian Rapoport.

This strategy is exactly what NYG General Manager Joe Schoen used to get to an agreement with Saquon and his agents.

Positives and Negatives of This Deal for Both Sides

For the Giants, there are no negatives of this deal. They get their star running back on the field and in training camp for essentially a million more than the franchise tag and have no extra associated risks. The G-Men don’t have to cough up a huge contract and if they want to, they can negotiate a long term deal after the season.

The Giants also quiet all the outside distractions that were associated with Saquon and the franchise tag. The team can now prepare in peace for the upcoming season without having any lingering questions about money or player availability (from contracts).

As for Saquon, this deal is not all that positive for him. He barely earns $1 million more than the set franchise tag and that is only if he accomplishes the incentives and the Giants make the playoffs. Saquon is also only under contract for one year so if he gets injured this upcoming season or in training camp, his value could drop and he could potentially not even make what he will this year.

The only positive of this contract for Saquon is that he doesn’t have to be distracted or bothered by the franchise tag looming over his head, instead he gets to rejoin his team and do what he loves, play football.