The New York Giants and Saquon Barkley were finally able to strike a deal, albeit not the one they were hoping for.
The Penn State product signed a one-year pact with the G-Men following months of back and forth and a bit of a stalemate between the parties.
Notably, it seemed like Barkley was ready to hold out for the season before that change of heart.
According to NFL insider Mike Garafolo, the one thing that helped the Giants get a deal done was the fact that Barkley was eager to get back on the field with his teammates.
The #Giants reached out to Saquon Barkley and he wanted to be back with his teammates. It’s a show of good faith from a player who was extremely upset after a long-term deal wasn’t reached. Could bode well for talks after this season 👇🏼 https://t.co/PVdnauOyyF
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) July 26, 2023
Per Garafolo, Barkley was willing to bury the hatchet and show a gesture of good faith, hoping that works his way when he negotiates his next contract.
There have never been doubts about Barkley’s talents and impact, and he’s undeniably their best offensive player.
Fans, players, and analysts ripped the Giants for mishandling this whole situation, stating that they should’ve just paid him the money he was worth.
Even so, GM Joe Schoen was able to pull this off, and now they’re perhaps one of the biggest winners of the offseason.
Now, they’ll have to handle this situation quite carefully, as they have the upper hand and could simply place him under the franchise tag again next season, but it would only lead to the same stalemate.
Both parties need each other, and if Barkley balls out again in 2023, the Giants will have no choice but to do right by their player and sign him to a deal that honors his impact on the field.
NEXT: Video Shows Saquon Barkley Returning To The Field After Signing New Deal
