Just How Important is Saquon Barkley to Giants' Offense?

Saquon Barkley and the Giants are at a contract impasse that is headed down a slippery slope.

Saquon Barkley, RB

Height: 5-foot-11 | Weight: 233 pounds
2022 Stats: 16 games played/16 games started, 295 carries for 1,312 yards, 10 touchdowns. 57 receptions for 338 yards 

New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley's 1,650 yards from scrimmage last season (which included the 1,312 rushing yards) accounted for 29 percent of the Giants' total yards on offense, less than the 35.5 percent he racked up for the team as a rookie in 2018, but still the clear team leader last year.

So why, then, is Barkley still not under contract? The Giants would probably argue that it has to do with the market just not being there for running backs--in fact, the market for running backs, according to former NFL agent Joel Corry, has been steadily declining over the last several years.

Meanwhile, Barkley and his representation think--and with good cause--that he's much more than a running back trying to get his slice of the pie. Besides being the face of the franchise ever since being drafted with the No. 2 overall pick in 2018, Barkley, when healthy, has been the Giants' offense.

Currently, things are at an impasse. The Giants twice put offers on the table for Barkley, one at the bye week worth $12.5 million per year and one before the start of free agency reportedly worth $13 million per year with another $1 million in incentives. Both deals were rejected and subsequently pulled off the table, replaced by the $10.1 million franchise tag that Barkley told reporters at the end of last season he didn't want, and who, by the way, is making his displeasure known by sitting out the voluntary workout program at which he was otherwise a regular attendee in past years.

So where do things go from here? Do the Giants view him as strictly a running back, or is he more than a running back worth bucking the trend set in the market for a little more per year?

Lots of questions, but so few answers known at this point other than the next few weeks leading up to the July 17 deadline to get a deal done should be very interesting.

Best Case Scenario

The best-case scenario is for the Giants and Barkley to finish a long-term deal by the July 17 deadline. That would behoove both sides, the Giants because Barkley's $10.1 million cap hit this year would likely be cut in half, and Barkley because he wouldn't have to worry about injuries affecting his guaranteed money beyond 2023 given how the contract would likely be structured.

Speaking of injuries, how great would it be if Barkley truly has put behind him his days of having to miss games due to injuries? Last year was a good start--he fought through a shoulder ailment that was believed to have occurred in Week 5 and went on to play in every game except for the regular-season finale when all the starters were given the day off. 

Given how hard Barkley trains and how meticulous he is to every detail, such a notion isn't impossible, but it's admittedly challenging given the pounding players at the position take.

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• RELATED: Why Saquon Barkley is Playing a Risky Game with Contract Talks

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Worst Case Scenario

Barkley ends up playing on the tag. Both sides would prefer that not be the case, but if Barkley continues to dig his heels in and insist on more than the $13 million per year he reportedly rejected before the start of free agency, this will probably not end well for him.

Adding to the worst-case scenario, if Barkley decides to sit out all or most of training camp, he won't do himself any favors regarding getting into football shape. Chances are, if he sits out most of training camp when he comes in, he'll be slowly worked into the mix, thereby costing himself some potential snaps and production that could affect his numbers.

He's also likely to put himself at a greater risk for an injury, which, if that happens, will screw his chances of getting a long-term deal if he has to miss any playing time.

What to Expect in 2023

General manager Joe Schoen once said that negotiation need to consider the player's entire body of work (including injury history). This likely means they won't simply forget about Barkley's spotty health history.

Also worth noting is the Giants spent a fifth-round draft pick on running back Eric Gray and that the coaching staff hasn't ruled out potentially implementing more of a committee approach (which would be the smart thing to do as it would reduce the wear and tear on Barkley).

All these signs would indicate that the Giants will not go crazy on a deal for Barkley, and Schoen himself has indicated that he's willing to have the running back play on the franchise tag this year.

But this is business. While an argument could be made that Barkley was the offense, one might argue that he "disappeared" in the middle part of the season once opponents figured out how to shut him down and that he no longer has that second gear he had as a rookie, the lower body injuries having taken a toll on him.

That said, the Giants want him back--if they didn't, they would have rescinded the tag long ago and spent the money elsewhere.

But to be fair here, the Giants need to think about putting back one of their original offers on the table to the running back, hoping that he has come to his senses about what he's willing to accept per year.

Playing hardball is a part of negotiating, but when it involves a player who was the face of your franchise for several years, who has been a team captain and a model citizen both on and off the field, it's not a good look, even if it's "just business."

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