New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen has a long ‘to-do’ list this offseason but there is one item that many would like to see addressed sooner rather than later.
That is the return of star running back Saquon Barkley, who is eligible for free agency in March. It’s something fans and Barkley’s teammates would like Schoen to settle quickly.
He knows that, too, as the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz reported after Schoen addressed the media at the Senior Bowl down in Mobile, Alabama on Tuesday.
Schoen said he spoke with running back Saquon Barkley, an impending free agent, on the Friday after the season ended.
He characterized it as a “good conversation” and it will not be the last conversation.
“He was getting ready to go to Africa for a Super Bowl commercial,” Schoen said. “The plan is to circle up with his representatives when we get to the Combine.”
The NFL Combine will be held in Indianapolis from Thursday, February 29 through Sunday, March 3. Free agency begins 10 days after that.
If the Giants choose to use the franchise tag on Barkley, as they did last year, they can do so at any time between February 20 through March 5.
The fact that Schoen answered the question of Barkley returning with such assurance could indicate that they could be more willing to offer him a multi-year deal this time around.
Last year, Barkley agreed to a modified version of the franchise with escalators that were not hit. This year’s franchise tag value for running backs is estimated to be around $12.4 million guaranteed for one season.
