Giants Rumors: Latest Buzz on Saquon Barkley, Markus Golden Contract Talks

In 2019, the New York Giants dug out their foundation in an exhaustive 4-12 rebuilding year. Now the team begins laying out its structure, with a key defensive free-agent decision in Markus Golden this summer and a franchise-defining offensive one with Saquon Barkley the following. 

Golden isn't a huge name outside of Arizona and New York, the two teams he's played for in a five-year career—but he was easily the best Giants rusher in 2019. That was on a one-year, $3.75 million deal, making him a free agent this offseason.

Barkley, meanwhile, needs no introduction. The superstar back is arguably the league's best and has two years left on his rookie deal—making next offseason critical for extension negotiations. 

Barkley: Health Dictates Wealth

As sources have told NJ.com's Zack Rosenblatt, "Barkley wants to be the highest-paid running back in the NFL when he signs his next deal." Right now, that mark is set by this year's Christian McCaffrey contract: $64 million over four years.

McCaffrey earned that deal by playing two consecutive 16-game seasons, both phenomenal but the latter especially so, earning him Pro Bowl and First-Team All-Pro honors. Barkley's talent isn't in question, with his first season landing him a Pro Bowl selection and the latter the confidence of his team as he battled through injury to carry a sloppy offense.

The sole concern is Barkley's health, as an ankle injury caused him to miss three games and lingered throughout many others. The only way he doesn't lock in a $17 million annual extension next summer, barring a shocking drop in skill, is if those injury issues persist during the season.

Golden: Waiting on the Market 

Golden's impact on the Giants defense last season was obvious and quantifiable. In 16 starts for New York he piled up 10 sacks, a career-high 72 combined tackles and a career-high 27 quarterback hits.

Statistically, he was by far the team's best edge-rusher—lending credence to the tape, which has always shown him to be a versatile force on the defensive end. His quarterback hits led the team by 14.0, his sacks by 5.5 and his tackles for loss (13) by 6.0. The 6'3" linebacker even returned a fumble for his first career touchdown.

If New York wants to play with any bite, Golden needs to be extended. But with more renowned free-agent edge-rushers like Jadeveon Clowney and Everson Griffen untouched on the open market, contract negotiations have yet to start moving. 

As reported by The Athletic's Dan Duggan, "things remain quiet on the Golden front."

Like Barkley leveraging McCaffrey's contract, the edge defender would likely prefer to see how his position fares in the open market before beginning negotiations with teams. Still, edge-rusher valuations remain nebulous for this offseason and teams seem not to have grown desperate just yet.  

Ultimately, lest a team gets desperate and offers Golden insurmountable money, the Giants should be able to work out a deal that keeps him in New York for the full construction time. As reported by Rosenblatt, Dave Gettleman and New York "would like to have [Golden] back, and at this rate they'll probably get their wish."