Saquon Doesn't 'F***' the Giants, Signs; To Play Week 1 vs. Cowboys

Saquon Barkley "bet on himself'' here. ... and he lost, as the star running back caves in negotiations with the Giants, signs, and now readies himself for a Week 1 visit from the Cowboys.

OXNARD, Calif. - Saquon Barkley said some powerful things. He talked of skipping camp. He talked of sitting out the year. He said would consider saying "F*** you!'' to the New York Giants over a bitter contract dispute centering on his view that his tag offer of $10.091 million was unfair.

But now the Giants - a playoff team a year ago who open the 2023 season by playing host to the Dallas Cowboys - are actually showing up for training camp. And so is Barkley, who early Tuesday morning caved on all of his bold statements and agreed to a contract that looks a lot like the one he's been griping about.

Barkley and the Giants have agreed to a one-year contract. Just like the tag. His salary is a guarantee of $10.091 million. Just like the tag. There is a $2 million signing bonus wrapped into that, and its paid upfront. So that's a nice, small wrinkle. Oh, and there are $900,000 in incentives so that Barkley - should he reach an assortment of milestones - can earn up to $11 million.

In other words, Barkley - who was offered more than this before July 17, when the negotiating window closed on tagged players - did not in the end backup his bold talk with bold action.

Dallas' Tony Pollard was of course in a similar situation but signed his tag offer, so he has long been scheduled to make the $10.091 million. Barkley on the other hand, was helping lead a running backs group protests on the "devaluation'' of the position that included a largely meaningless weekend Zoom call that included other star backs, Pollard included.

"Right now,'' admitted the Browns' Nick Chubb, "there's really nothing we can do.''

Nothing, that is, except sign a contract under the "unfair'' rules agreed to by the players' own union, the NFLPA.

Under NFL rules, there is some flexibility when it comes to a team jumping above the tag number. To argue that the Giants did that with Barkley is deceitful; $900,000 in incentives is not a "jump.'' And again, given that the Giants at one time reportedly offered $12 million or $13 million? Barkley "bet on himself'' here. ... and he lost.

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