Now that the New York Giants have extended the contract of Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence for four more years, general manager Joe Schoen has just one more major piece of business left on his plate — do the same for star running back Saquon Barkley.
“Saquon’s a very good football player, he was a captain last year, he’s a good locker-room guy,” general manager Joe Schoen reiterated during an appearance on Good Morning Football on Thursday.
“I love him. We want him to be here, just got to have a deal where both parties are happy with where you end up, and that’s what we’re gonna try to work for and see if we can get something we can both agree on.”
Currently, Barkley is not participating in the team’s voluntary offseason program. Not because he won’t, but because without a contract, he can’t.
Barkley and the Giants could not reach an agreement before the new league year in March and the team ended up placing the franchise tag on him.
He has yet to sign it. The tag would pay Barkley $10.1 million for one season. He wants a longer-term deal with more guaranteed money upfront. The two sides have talked but haven’t quite gotten close to a deal as of yet.
Schoen, with the draft and Lawrence’s deal out of the way, will now turn his focus on the two-time Pro Bowl back.
“We’ll have some conversations,” Schoen said. “In terms of where we are, where they may be, and see if we can get something done.”
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