Saquon Barkley Rumors: Conflicting Reports About Giants Contract Offer Emerge

The New York Giants used the franchise tag on Saquon Barkley this offseason, setting up a potential contract showdown this summer as the running back pushes for a long-term deal.

At the moment, there are conflicting reports as to whether the Giants have since offered him such a contract:

Barkley, 26, has not signed his franchise tender and thus will not be reporting to the team's mandatory minicamp this week.

As to whether a deal gets done, Barkley told reporters at his football camp that he was hopeful the two sides could work something out:

"I think they're open to talking. I'm open to talking. I think at the end of the day, if you really break it down and look at it as a whole, there is no rush. There is still time on the table to get to July 17. July 17 is not tomorrow. It's not in a week. That is how I look at it. Maybe that is the naïve way to look at it, I could be completely wrong. But for me, that's how I look at it. I could be completely wrong. Hopefully. I trust in the Giants that we could get something done."

July 17 is the deadline for the sides to agree on a new deal.

And if that deadline comes and goes without a long-term contract, Barkley apparently will consider sitting out the entire season.

"That comes up in the conversation if something doesn't get done by July 17," he told reporters when asked about that scenario.

It would be a huge blow for a Giants team looking to repeat last season's playoff appearance. Barkley was a huge catalyst for that success, rushing for 1,312 yards and 10 scores while adding 57 catches for 338 yards.

It was a major bounce-back season after Barkley played just three games in 2020 and didn't appear to be at full strength for much of 2021. He was far closer to the dominant force from his first two seasons.

But the running back market has continued to be depressed as teams hesitate to offer big bucks to the position, turning to platoons and younger players on rookie deals. That remains the central conflict for stars at the position like Barkley, who undoubtedly offer major value to their teams but struggle to receive proportional compensation.

Such is the backdrop for the showdown between Barkley and the Giants, one that apparently may extend into July. Or perhaps even beyond.