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Jaylon Smith knows exactly why the New York Giants should pay running back Saquon Barkley. The linebacker who started 11 games for Big Blue last season told Good Morning Football “without Saquon, we don’t make the playoffs last year.”
Those are strong words, but they underline the importance of a player Smith referred to as “the heartbeat. He’s the engine.”
Barkley’s value to the Giants is reflected by GMFB revealing the player accounted for “over 40 percent of their total yards last year.”
The numbers all indicate the Giants should pay Barkley, but the organization has so far been content to use the franchise tag. Barkley wants a long-term deal, but the deadline on Monday, July 17 is looming large.
Giants Risking a Lot With Saquon Barkley Standoff
The Giants built almost their entire offense around Barkley’s talents and versatility in 2022. Head coach Brian Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka set a pattern for heavy use early in the season, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.
Heavy doses of Barkley directly correlated to successful entries into the win column. Like when the 26-year-old carried the ball 31 times for 146 yards and two rushing touchdowns against the Chicago Bears in Week 4.
Barkley was busy from opening day, when he rushed 18 times for 164 yards during a road win over the Tennessee Titans. One of those carries went for a four-yard touchdown, while another accounted for a two-point conversion.
As Raanan’s colleague Field Yates pointed out, no running back was more involved than Barkley in Week 1.
Barkley’s busy day in Nashville became the blueprint for the Giants’ surprise push to the playoffs. It’s a proven method for success general manager Joe Schoen is risking by standing firm on expecting Barkley to play on the tag.
Taking the two-time Pro Bowler out of the lineup would leave the Giants relying more on quarterback Daniel Jones and his receivers. That reliance would explain why the front office paid Jones ahead of Barkley and also revamped the signal-caller’s receiving corps.
The revamp included trading for Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller as well as signing wideout Parris Campbell from the Indianapolis Colts in free agency. Campbell and Waller are joined by deep threat Jalin Hyatt, the 73rd player taken in the 2023 NFL draft.
Despite the moves, changing the emphasis of Daboll and Kafka’s offense would demand a significant step forward from Jones and a passing attack that registered a league-low 28 completions of 20-plus yards.
There are also other risks, like upsetting a tight-knit group whose unity was a key factor in the Giants’ unexpected success last season.
Re-Signing Saquon Barkley Would Be a Popular Decision
Barkley’s a key locker room figure, as well as the Giants’ premier playmaker. He’d be missed on a number of levels, and it’s unlikely a decision not to give Barkley a long-term contract would sit well with his teammates.
Their potential unhappiness was summed up by wide receiver Darius Slayton. He replied to Connor Hughes of SNY.tv questioning why the Giants should pay Barkley more than the $10.091 million available under the tag, with the following caption: “This is like not buying YOUR wife a wedding ring because 31 other men decided THEIR wife wasn’t worth it.”
Slayton’s response speaks to the heart of the issue between Barkley and the Giants. It’s a matter of how today’s NFL values running backs.
Teams are content to move on from even the most prominent players at the position, believing it’s easier to find a serviceable runner than it is to acquire a competent quarterback. There’s more than a little truth to that view, but Barkley was arguably as important to his team as the best quarterbacks in the game were to theirs last season.
Acknowledging that importance can only be done by the Giants paying Barkley for the long haul.
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