Saquon Barkley: ‘F–K You’ to Giants after contract talks fall through
After failing to negotiate a long-term contract with the New York Giants, running back Saquon Barkley has given New York some choice words.
Multiple star-caliber backs have had no contract extensions, causing an outcry. Running backs have been at outcry for days now after multiple star-caliber backs have had no contract extensions. Barkley, one of the best young backs in the debate, expressed his dissatisfaction with his team after they failed to strike a deal.
On an episode of “The Money Matters”, Barkley made his remarks on the situation with his squad.
“My leverage is I could say, ‘F–k you’ to the Giants, I could say, ‘F–k you to my teammates,’” he said. “And be like, ‘You want me to show you my worth? You want me to show you how valuable I am to the team? I won’t show up. I won’t play a down.’ And that’s a play I could use.”
“Anybody [who] knows me, knows that’s not something I want to do. Is it something that’s crossed my mind? I never thought I would ever do that, but now I’m at a point where I’m like, ‘Jesus, I might have to take it to this level.’ Am I prepared to take it to this level? I don’t know.“
New York and Barkley were reportedly apart by less than $2 million in their deal. Now it may seem that Barkley wants to leave the Big Apple with all the commotion going on, but it’s actually the opposite.
“I wouldn’t say I’m not happy,” Barkley, a Bronx native, said. “Where I’m thrown off, or it doesn’t sit right with me, is I came out publicly and said that I want to be a Giant for life.
“I didn’t want to hit the free-agency market. I feel like we could’ve got the job done.”
Barkley is coming off one of his best seasons as a 26-year-old running back. Saquon rushed for 1,312 yards and 10 touchdowns last season, making him a finalist for the Comeback Player of the Year award.
Barkley turns 27 in February, and with injuries already a concern, can the Giants really pay him? Look at the rest of the NFL–if you’re going to pay a running back, it can’t be a lot. Running backs like Barkley are constantly being bruised week in and week out. They don’t last long.
Look at Dalvin Cook, another current running back who is struggling with this same scenario. Cook has struggled with injuries in the past, same with Barkley, and he is paying for it. Avoiding injuries and playing a full season is essential for him to reach his full potential.
Another reason NFL teams can’t pay running backs big money ties into injuries and how long they last–it’s not worth it. If you spend $10-16 million dollars a year on a running back, that’s money not going to a position of need. In today’s modern NFL, you need a balanced roster. Splurging money on one position outside of quarterback is a big no-no for most. Modern-day NFL is a pass-first league. If your running back can’t do it all and stay healthy, he’s toast.
Do the Giants have just a reason for not paying Saquon Barkley the big bucks? Let us know in the comments down below.
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