Giants Rumors: Saquon Barkley Signs 1-Year Contract Worth Up to $11M to Avoid Holdout

The New York Giants and star running back Saquon Barkley agreed to terms on a one-year deal worth up to $11 million, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport on Tuesday morning.

Albert Breer of The MMQB provided more details:

This avoids a lengthy holdout for Barkley. Because he had yet to sign his one-year franchise tender, he wasn't under contract with the Giants and thus could sit out any portion of the offseason without penalty.

ESPN's Jordan Raanan reported "Barkley is already in the building" as training camp begins Tuesday for Giants veterans.

Concern began to grow earlier this summer when The Athletic's Dan Duggan reported June 6 that there were "no indications" they had made any progress on a deal.

Additionally, ESPN's Dianna Russini reported July 12 that Barkley and the Giants remained "at a stalemate" in contract negotiations, further casting his future with the franchise into doubt.

The Giants initially offered Barkley a deal worth $14 million last year, according to Ranaan, but the structure of the deal and guaranteed money didn't meet the running back's expectations and therefore no deal was completed.

After agreeing to a four-year, $160 million deal with quarterback Daniel Jones in March, the Giants initially placed the $10.1 million franchise tag on Barkley to avoid letting him hit the open market.

However, he didn't sign the tag and did not participate in the voluntary portion of the team's offseason program.

Despite the franchise tag, New York had been vocal about wanting to keep Barkley in 2023 and beyond. General manager Joe Schoen told reporters in January:

"He's done everything we've asked him to do and he's a good football player. We'll get into how we want to build this team and allocate our resources, and that's what it comes down to. Again, he's a good football player, he was durable for us this year, he played well, and again he's a guy that we'd like to have back."

Barkley also stated his desire to remain with the Giants while speaking with reporters in January.

"I don't want to jump to any conclusions. I've been vocal about how I feel and where I want to be," he said. "I wanted to show the Giants that the guy they drafted is still here. Everyone knows I would love to be a Giant for life."

The Giants selected Barkley second overall in the 2018 draft out of Penn State, and he became an instant star in the NFL after posting back-to-back 1,000-plus-yard rushing seasons in 2018, when he won Offensive Rookie of the Year, and 2019.

However, the 26-year-old appeared in just two games during the 2020 season due to a torn ACL and, after rehabbing that injury, he appeared in just 13 games in 2021 due to an ankle sprain.

Even when he was on the field in 2021, he was ineffective because of lingering injuries, rushing for 593 yards and two touchdowns.

Barkley had a bounce-back 2022 season, rushing for 1,312 yards and 10 touchdowns in 16 games. He was a significant reason the Giants made it back to the postseason.

While his new contract only keeps him in New York for one more season, the fact the two sides struck an accord leads one to believe they can do it again next offseason to extend his stay in the Big Apple.