The Giants (or someone) are spiking the football on Saquon Barkley.
Look what Pro Football Talk just reported hours after the star running back capitulated and signed a one-year deal to end his contract standoff:
Per multiple sources, the Giants called a dozen teams in an effort to find a potential trade partner, back in the March/April time frame. The calls came at the request of Barkley’s representation.
The Giants obviously found no takers. It’s unclear what they wanted. Barkley was trying to get, we’re told, a contract that pays something in the range of $15 million to $16 million per year.
UPDATE: Barkley is denying PFT’s report. Again.
Who knows how serious Barkley’s request was. Or real. Who knows how hard the Giants tried to move him. Or how willing they were. Or if there was any there, there. But the fact this is getting out now — after Barkley caved — feels just a bit too on the nose.
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It certainly feels like someone is trying to get one final jab in on Barkley before everyone gathers to sing kumbaya and prepare for the season ahead. And the fact Barkley even entertained a trade does take some of the tarnish off his professed Giant-for-life desires. As well as makes all those claims about the robust free agent market he would have had seem even more silly.
But anyway, onward and upward. Barkley just turned down $23 million in guaranteed money to … maybe get $23 million in guaranteed money if he does something only five other running backs have done since 2000. Which makes total sense.
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James Kratch can be reached at james.kratch@xlmedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @jameskratch.
