Giants GM Joe Schoen Offers Insight into Daniel Jones, Saquon Barkley Contract Talks
New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen has consistently insisted that the team wants both quarterback Daniel Jones and running back Saquon Barkley on the team for a long time to come. When he spoke with reporters at the NFL combine Tuesday, he didn't change his tune.
"We've been in constant contact with his agents," Schoen said of Jones, who switched from CAA to Athletes First a couple of weeks ago. "We had productive conversations yesterday, and we have some more scheduled today, so we'll just continue to communicate with them."
Schoen, who declined to confirm if reports of Jones seeking $45 million per year were accurate, revealed that he didn't have any conversations with Jones's prior representation, CAA, adding that neither side had any idea what the other was thinking as far as the asking price.
Of Barkley, Schoen said the two sides have inched closer to an agreement, but there is still a gap.
"Yeah, we'll still work through that," Schoen said. "We're working with Roc Nation and Kim (Miale), his agent, and have a great relationship with her. So we've had really good communication, and she does a great job, and we'll see if we can bridge the gap here at some point."
Schoen also dispelled the notion that Jones is the priority over Barkley.
"We've had productive conversations with both their representatives," he said. "We'll continue to do so, but there's not currently a priority on one or the other."
The thinking is that if both players don't get a deal done by March 7, the final day for teams to use the franchise tag, Jones will draw the tag at a $32.417 million rate. That action, Schoen admitted, would put a crimp on their finances to upgrade the team.
"If you have to franchise Daniel, I don't think that's best for the organization. I don't believe it's best for Daniel, especially as we try to build the team around him," Schoen said.
"So it does hurt you a little bit in terms of the team-building process, but we're prepared if that's a scenario that we're faced with."
Schoen said the Giants were "cautiously optimistic" about working something out with both Jones and Barkley.
"Again, you have to go through hard times before you come out the other end and on better times with negotiations," he said. "We're trying to work through it. Obviously, we'd like to have them both back. They know how we feel about both of them, and we're still working through it."
But if things should hit a snag, Schoen didn't sound like he was afraid of walking away.
"If it gets out of hand and it's out of our comfort zone, we can a tag one player. We'll use that, and if somebody's gotta walk, then it's unfortunate, but that's a part of the business. We're still building a team, which is important to remember."
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