Today is the last day for the Giants to decide if they feel like playing tag.
This could potentially affect two players, running back Saquon Barkley and safety Xavier McKinney, neither of whom want any part of the pick.
The deadline to apply the franchise or transition tag to a player is Tuesday at 4 p.m.
The Giants are in talks with Barkley and McKinnie’s representatives, and there is a clear and present danger that neither player will be able to reach long-term contract agreements by the deadline.
This is McKinney’s first time down this path, and he wants to be one of the highest-paid players at his position in the NFL.
This is Barkley’s second go-round, and he has stated multiple times that he wants to remain with the Giants, but the money has to be right and it’s difficult to get consensus on his value, making him a free agent. May be sent to agent.
Leading up to this, the Giants had no intention of teaming up with Barkley again.
A year ago, they were coming off a winning season that included a playoff win, but Barkley stayed healthy and was coming off a season in which he rushed for a career-high 1,312 yards.
I felt that continuity is important.
Barkley was given a $10.1 million franchise tag for that, but he ended up never playing on the tag, as the Giants agreed to a one-year contract for the same amount with $900,000 in incentives based on his contract. Ta. The playoffs and Barkley’s career-best performance were added to his contract.
Needless to say, Barkley received none of those incentives and basically played for the franchise tag.
Barkley, 27, is now a year older and more worn out, but the Giants are coming off a losing season in which he struggled to stay healthy and ran for just 962 yards.
As for future earning potential, he could not help himself.
“Saquon may be in a different position now than he was then in terms of understanding the market and the business side of it,” NFL Scouting Combine general manager Joe Schoen said last week.
Unless Barkley is “in a different place right now” in terms of his compensation expectations, a deal won’t happen.
The Giants began this process with no interest in applying the second tag to Barkley. This will result in Barkley being paid $12.1 million for the 2024 season.
Shane has a good relationship with Barkley’s agent, CAA’s Ed Berry, who is leading this year’s contract negotiations. It may help, but ultimately money speaks.
If the Giants place the franchise tag on McKinney, it would cost him $16.2 million for the 2024 season. They entered the process of considering a $13.9 million transfer clause for McKinney, conditional on McKinney becoming a free agent.
The Giants have the right to match any offer McKinney receives, effectively allowing other teams to set McKinney’s market value. If the Giants refuse to match the offer sheet, they will not receive any compensation in return. This tag is still being considered by the Giants.
There is a strong desire to retain McKinney, who is still in his prime at just 24 years old. He played every snap on defense in 2023, and Shane said new defensive coordinator Shane Bowen is focused on safety.
The Giants know McKinney can get a big contract on the open market, but they don’t want him to make more than $16 million a year.
It remains to be seen how the expanded league salary cap total of $255.4 million (more than $10 million more than the Giants expected) will affect the acquisition of either Barkley or McKinney. Last week in Indianapolis, there was a feeling the increase might be a little sweet for McKinney.
Schoen said Barkley’s many off-the-field attributes, including his leadership qualities and standing within the community, make him someone the team wants to contribute long-term.
“That’s why you go to a player like that and try to stretch him and stretch him and stretch him and stretch him some more,” Shane said. However, there are limits to the Giants’ growth.
If the franchise or transition tag is used, the Giants can continue to work towards a long-term contract with the tagged player.
Without Barkley, the Giants need a new starting running back. Without McKinnie, the Giants need a new starting safety. They want to keep both. Probably not.
