NFL Rumors: Daniel Jones 'Priority' in Giants Contract Talks over Saquon Barkley

The New York Giants are reportedly prioritizing quarterback Daniel Jones over running back Saquon Barkley in free agency this offseason.

ESPN's Dianna Russini reported Jones is the team's "priority" as the two sides negotiate a "long-term deal." She added that the Giants "will figure out Saquon," which seems to suggest that Jones is more of a pressing issue for the team at this point.

Prioritizing Jones could prove costly for New York.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported the quarterback is "possibly" looking for as much as $45 million per year on a new deal. The Giants could counter by franchise-tagging him at $32.4 million, but it seems like they want to make him their quarterback for the foreseeable future.

The Giants wouldn't be in this situation had they picked up Jones' fifth-year option that would have kept him under contract for 2023. They declined to do so last offseason.

While Jones threw for 3,027 yards, 24 touchdowns and 12 interceptions as a rookie in 2019, he went 9-16 as a starter and threw a combined 21 touchdowns to 17 picks over the next two years.

That was the backdrop entering the 2022 campaign, but he ended up thriving in first-year head coach Brian Daboll's system and led the Giants to the playoffs by completing a career-high 67.2 percent of his passes for 3,205 yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions while adding 708 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.

As for Barkley, ESPN's Jordan Raanan reported he turned down a deal for more than $12 million per year during the Giants' bye week in November.

A source told Ranaan that a deal would likely get done "if the two sides meet at $14 million per year," although the $10.1 million franchise tag for running backs could hurt Barkley's leverage if New York signs Jones to a long-term deal rather than using the tag on him.

There is plenty working against Barkley in negotiations, including his injury history and the devaluation of running backs in today's game, but he was still a Pro Bowler in 2022 with a career-high 1,312 rushing yards, 338 receiving yards and 10 total touchdowns.

He might have to see how the Jones situation unfolds if he plans on returning to the Giants.