Saquon Barkley isn’t any longer just the Giants’ best playmaker.
He is also their most tradeable asset ahead of the Oct. 31 deadline for making deals.
That’s a recent role for Barkley that has been created by the mixture of his expiring contract and the Giants’ surprising 1-5 start.
Lots has modified for the reason that Giants turned down no less than two teams, including the Dolphins, that inquired about trading for the two-time Pro Bowl running back within the offseason when he had not yet signed his one-year, $10.1 million franchise tag, as first reported in July by The Post.
Barkley’s longtime stance on remaining a “Giant for all times” stays the identical, nevertheless.
“Everyone knows how I feel,” Barkley said after Thursday’s practice. “Everyone knows I don’t need to get traded.”
If Barkley and the Giants had closed the ultimate negotiation gaps of $1 million to $2 million in each average annual salary and total guaranteed money over the lifetime of a recent three-year contract, or if the team were off to a greater start, then the thought of Barkley being available would make less sense.
It could’ve been inconceivable if he held out of coaching camp for concessions like a no-trade clause, but he didn’t.
“Obviously, I’ve been vocal and public about how I feel about this organization and where I need to be,” Barkley said. “Knowing the business and seeing that side of it, there’s a number of things I can’t control. I don’t think anybody of their right mind would need to get traded anywhere. It’s not a straightforward thing to do: You’ve got to maneuver. I even have a family. I’d like to be here.”
Nonetheless, anything is feasible — especially if the Giants lose one in every of (or each of) the games Sunday against the Commanders and Oct. 29 against the Jets.
Barkley claims “it never crossed my mind” that the tip of his six-year tenure could possibly be near.
“I can’t control that,” Barkley said. “It’s not like I’m capable of make any decisions or have any say in that. The one say that I even have is the best way I show as much as work and the best way I compete.”
Barkley answered concerns about his health last week by carrying 24 times for 93 yards against the Bills in his return from a three-week absence because of a high ankle sprain.
There have been “no setbacks” in recovery.
“Not playing in three weeks and having the workload that I had, you’re obviously going to be just a little sore,” Barkley said, “but … just continuing to handle my body and stay strong for this upcoming week and for the remaining of the season.”
The largest deterrents to trading Barkley for draft picks could be the scary propositions of how the offense could look and what the house crowds could possibly be without the face of the franchise.
Barkley has scored two of the five touchdowns for an offense that has gone 205 consecutive game minutes (and counting) without finding the tip zone, and his backups are rushing for two.5 yards per carry.
“Saquon’s a giant piece of our running game, but I even have complete confidence in all the opposite guys as well to do the job,” offensive coordinator Mike Kafka said before ignoring all empirical evidence in favor of coachspeak. “Saquon has big-play ability — all of our backs have big-play ability.”
Barkley will likely be owed $4.9 million after this week — not a steep price for a contender trying to add a difference-maker.
The Colts just re-signed running back Jonathan Taylor to a three-year, $42 million extension.
“My focus is to be the leader I may be for this team to attempt to get this thing on the proper track,” Barkley said.
Barkley averages 129.5 yards from scrimmage with five profession touchdowns in seven games against Washington.
“All it takes is one — one win to get the boldness,” Barkley said. “Even within the games you lose, yow will discover that sometimes that could be a helpful turning point throughout the season. We could use that [loss to the Bills] because the turning point and help catapult us to come back into this week playing back in our stadium, with our fans against a divisional opponent and get a divisional win. May very well be the beginning of something special.”
Or the precursor to a premature ending.