Why Saquon Barkley agreed to Giants' deal - ESPN

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — As the New York Giants' veterans reported to training camp on Tuesday, there was a surprise awaiting them as star running back Saquon Barkley was in the building before 8 a.m. Many didn't expect to see him until September.

Barkley had agreed to a one-year deal instead of playing on the $10.091 million franchise tender. He got a $2 million up-front signing bonus and has $1 million available in incentives in a contract that can reach up to $11 million. But he did not get any guarantees the team would not use the franchise tag again next year.

The $11 million cash value on Barkley's new contract ranks third among running backs in 2023 behind only the Tennessee Titans' Derrick Henry ($16.4M) and the Cleveland Browns' Nick Chubb ($14.9M), according to ESPN Stats & Information.

After nine months of negotiations, this was where they landed. Probably not where either side expected this to go when they began talking about a new contract during the bye week last year. Probably not what Barkley's running back brethren wanted to see as they fight for a more lucrative market at the position.

Why did the deal happen now? And did Barkley cave? Giants reporter Jordan Raanan and national NFL reporter Dan Graziano answered five compelling questions surrounding the deal.

Raanan: It seems pretty clear Barkley wanted to get this out of the way and report to training camp. Heck, he didn't even fight until the bitter end for the elimination of the franchise tag next year.

But Barkley is a player who is very conscious of his image. That was evident when he said at his AMPT football camp last month that he didn't like how the negotiations were being portrayed publicly. He said the coverage made him look «greedy.» Barkley