After spending the first six years of his NFL career with the New York Giants, running back Saquon Barkley departed for the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency. The only thing more shocking than seeing Barkley in Eagles green is how the Giants handled his contract situation.
Philadelphia ended up signing Barkley to a three-year, $37.75 million contract. But before the deal came to fruition, the Giants never made a final offer to their now ex-star running back, via Hard Knocks, h/t Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team.
“We're out,” general manager Joe Schoen told Barkley's agent Ed Berry. “Is it in the division? I'm trying to prepare myself mentally. That's all business.”
After getting off the phone, Schoen then spoke with his staff about for all the preparation they do, NFL free agency is unpredictable.
Ultimately, the Giants weren't prepared to match the Eagles in terms of money. Both sides had been entangled in contract talks dating back to 2023. New York was forced to use the franchise tag when a deal couldn't be reached. Without much budging, those talks remained where they were heading into the 2024 offseason. While New York put an offer they felt fair on the table, ultimately Philadelphia had more to give.
Still, losing a franchise icon in Barkley hit hard for many in the organization. That includes owner John Mara, who has watched the running back blossom into a star. Before any deal was completed, the owner was already worrying about a possible jump to the Eagles.
“I'll have a tough time sleeping if Saquon goes to Philadelphia, I'll tell you that,” Mara said. “He's the most popular player we have by far.”
Once his contract was announced, Schoen tried to lighten the mood and told Mara that the Giants, “will be fine.” But it was clear New York's owner was upset to see Barkley leave the organization.
Which makes sense based on the running back's performance with the team. Over 74 total games, Saquon Barkley rushed for 5,211 yards and 35 touchdowns. He added 2,100 yards and 12 scores through the air, earning two Pro Bowl nominations and the 2018 Offensive Rookie of the Year.
But now, the Giants will go from building their offense around him to facing the running back at least twice a year. Despite having over a year to come to terms on a contract extension, both sides couldn't find a deal that works.
How Giants plan to replace Saquon Barkley
With Barkley now out of the picture, the Giants went out and signed veteran runner Devin Singletary. They also have holdover Eric Gray and rookie Tyrone Tracy Jr. battling it out for touches.
Singletary moved on to the Houston Texas in 2023 after spending the first four years of his career with the Buffalo Bills. He set a new career-high with 898 rushing yards and added four touchdowns. That production – which admittedly doesn't touch Barkley's – came on a career-high 218 rushing attempts. The Giants can at least be confident knowing Singletary can handle a high workload.
The same can't be said for Eric Gray, who gained 48 yards over his 17 attempts as a rookie. However, New York clearly likes what they see by not adding a veteran backup behind Singletary.
Gray's biggest battle for backup duties will come in the form of Tracy. He got his biggest opportunity as a runner in his final year with Purdue. Tracy turned that into 716 yards and eight touchdowns on 113 carries.
Barring a meteoric rise, no one currently on the roster will be able to match Saquon Barkley. However, the Giants have been given no choice after the RB's Eagles move. The offense will look much different in New York. Without even submitting one last final offer, the Giants must live with their Barkley decision.
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