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Saquon Barkley has become the current face of the New York Giants franchise, and both sides appear hopeful to get a new deal done in 2024.
On December 20, Pro Football Focus salary cap expert Brad Spielberger revealed what it might cost Big Blue to lock in Barkley for another couple seasons in New York.
“Two years, $22 million ($11 million per year), $15 million total guaranteed,” Spielberger projected during an article ranking the top 100 NFL free agents next spring. That estimation would provide Barkley with a marginal raise from his current $10.091 million salary (plus bonus) in 2023.
It would also put the Giants superstar at an average salary that is $3 million less than Jonathan Taylor’s $14 million APY that he just signed with the Indianapolis Colts. And an $11 million APY would fall about $5 million shy of Christian McCaffrey — who’s currently the highest-paid NFL running back on a per year basis.
Having said that, the $15 million in guarantees would be solid for Barkley’s position. Not counting rookie first rounders Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs, only five running backs in the NFL are guaranteed more than $15 million at the moment, and all five signed contracts longer than two years.
Giants RB Saquon Barkley’s Contract Projection Explained
PFF ranked Barkley as the 29th-best free agent in 2024, and the top running back in the class. One spot below him was Las Vegas Raiders ball-carrier Josh Jacobs.
“Barkley held out for a short period this offseason before returning to play on his franchise tag plus a few incentives that he had close to zero chance of earning,” Spielberger wrote. “Unfortunately for him, the Giants’ season has been an abject disaster from the start … that is, until Tommy Cutlets [DeVito] became America’s quarterback.”
“Barkley is still capable of breaking off an explosive rush at any moment and has made highlight-reel catches in 2023, including a wheel route touchdown that ended with a dive for the pylon in Week 2 against the Arizona Cardinals,” the analyst went on. “There’s no doubt Barkley’s highs are as high as any running back in the game, but the position market is a tricky landscape to navigate in 2024, especially with Barkley missing extended time in three out of the past four seasons.”
He concluded that “the good news for Barkley and all free agent running backs this offseason is that the 2024 running back draft class is not perceived to be strong.”
PFF Ranks Giants S Xavier McKinney 43rd-Best Free Agent in 2024
Next on the list for the G-Men was safety Xavier McKinney, who profiles as the second-most important unrestricted free agent for Big Blue in 2024 behind Saquon Barkley.
“McKinney’s coverage grades as a free safety (81.4) and in the box (79.4) are top-10 marks among safeties in 2023,” Spielberger relayed on the former second-round selection. “Over the past three seasons, McKinney’s 7.0 yards allowed per target in coverage ranks top-25 among safeties, and his 17 combined interceptions and forced incompletions put him in the top 20.”
Adding: “While he could make more plays at or near the line of scrimmage, he rarely whiffs on open-field tackles. The 24-year-old has missed just 7.8% of his tackle attempts over his career, 11th-best among 89 safeties with at least 100 tackles over the past four seasons, making him a reliable enough last line of defense.”
Spielberger projected a three-year, $24.75 million contract for McKinney, including an APY of $8.25 million and a total guaranteed amount of $17 million.
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