Saquon Barkley isn’t going to be running out of town.
The Giants do not intend to trade Barkley before the Oct. 31 deadline, no matter how things go Sunday against the Commanders and next week against the Jets, according to multiple reports.
That stance is welcomed by Barkley, who expressed a wish not to be traded earlier this week.
It would be a tough sell — pun intended — for the Giants to deal Barkley given that they entered Sunday with the lowest-scoring offense in the NFL and the fewest big plays. It is legitimate to wonder how the offense would even move the ball without its best playmaker.
And, if the Giants offense goes from abysmal to unwatchable, then it becomes a concern of how to fill the stands for four home games after the trade deadline.
Barkley still is the face of the franchise and most popular active player jersey spotted in the crowd.
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NFL Network also noted the Giants still are hopeful of re-signing Barkley to a multi-year extension after the season, which is a bit more surprising. The two sides cannot negotiate during the season under NFL rules for franchise-tagged players.
The Giants and Barkley negotiated from last October through July and wound up about $1 million to $2 million apart on both the average annual salary of a three-year contract and the total guaranteed. So, Barkley is playing on a one-year, $10.1 million tag.
A second tag for Barkley isn’t the worst-case scenario because it would be a one-year, $12.1 million deal — a raise over the three-year deal worth about $33 million that he turned down in July. He has missed three games due to an ankle sprain — the fourth time in six years that he has missed multiple games due to leg injuries.
The Giants have other tradeable assets — cornerback Adoree’ Jackson, defensive tackle Leonard Williams and safety Xavier McKinney at the top of the list — if the season is deemed a lost cause at the deadline.
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