Heartbreak: The all-time great New York Giants player announced the end of his contract in order to reach an agreement on a new contract with…

Heartbreak: The all-time great New York Giants player announced the end of his contract in order to reach an agreement on a new contract with…

There were concerns about running back Saquon Barkley’s future and his unresolved contract status with the New York Giants heading into the 2023 offseason. Barkley did not sign the franchise tag that the organization put on him, and the two parties were unable to come to an agreement on a long-term contract before the franchise tag deadline. From there, things just became more intricate.

Barkley expressed dissatisfaction with the $10.1 million, fully guaranteed one-year contract and said he would think about sitting out the 2023 campaign to prove to the franchise his value.

Finally, on July 25, the parties reached a compromise—albeit not a long-term one. Rather, Barkley and the Giants reached a one-year contract worth up to $11 million on Tuesday, with the possibility of a longer one.

It’s been a long haul for Barkley and the Giants. To help you remember everything that transpired this offseason and how we arrived to this moment, here’s a timeline:

Jan. 23: Barkley wants to stay in New York and is looking for a “realistic” deal.
Barkley responds, “I’m not too worried about resetting any markets.” “I’m grounded in reality. I am aware of my pace at that point. However, it doesn’t help to have two years full of ailments and a season where I didn’t play to the level I knew I could.” Barkley has expressed his desire to stay a Giant. “I couldn’t imagine that being the last time being in a Giants uniform,” he stated. However, that’s just how the business operates; I have no control over any

deal, which would have placed him among the highest-paid running backs in the NFL. According to Pro Football Talk, Barkley has received an offer from the Giants that is valued at $13 million per year and contains $26 million over the first two years. The offer is made before the franchise tag application date, but it is accompanied by a disclaimer from the team stating that it will withdraw the offer if the tag is applied. However, Barkley uses social media to refute the New York offer after viewing this claim.

July 12: The holdout Barkley becomes more grounded
Barkley’s availability for Week 1 will be seriously questioned if a new long-term deal isn’t finalized by the July 17 franchise tag deadline, per ESPN. When the deadline expires, the

The veteran’s contract cannot be extended until after the 2023 campaign.

July 14: The Giants guarantee $19.5 million in a deal for Barkley.
Barkley is allegedly offered a long-term contract with an unspecified number of years at the Giants that includes a guarantee of up to $19.5 million. Barkley could potentially earn more money if the agreement was for two years, since he would be guaranteed $10,091 million for the full two years of the franchise tag. Barkley would have the sixth-highest guaranteed salary of any running back in the NFL with $19.5 million, $500,000 less than Nick Chubb’s $20 million. Bijan Robinson, a rookie who is ranked fourth in guaranteed money with $21,958,544, has not yet participated in an NFL snap.