A new report spills some important details of a contract a 2023 free agent running back turned down recently. Saquan Barkley is just one expensive player on the New York Giants offense the team will have to consider re-signing. (Quarterback Daniel Jones is up for a new contract as well.) And if the two parties can’t come to an agreement, Barkley would have a chance to go to Chicago.
According to Ralph Vacchiano with Fox Sports, Barkley turned down a contract this weekend worth $12 million a season to continue playing for the Giants. Barkley turned it down, as the two-time Pro Bowl running back is looking for a Christian McCaffrey-like payday near $16 million annually.
… Barkley was offered around $12M/season during the bye week, per sources, and Schoen said they weren’t close in value. Barkley said yesterday he didn’t necessarily want to set the market, though I continue to hear he wants near Christian Mcaffrey’s $16M average. …
It’s worth noting the Giants have the option to franchise tag Barkley to the tune of around $10 million next season. So the Giants have no incentive to increase their offer to $16 million.
Should Barkley become a free agent, the Bears must sign the speedy running back. According to Sportsline, the Bears have the third-best odds of signing Barkley. $16 million per year for Barkley’s services would be perfect for the Bears’ backfield. The Bears’ offense showed signs of life in the middle of the season before Khalil Herbert was injured. Bringing another lighting-fast option to the Bears’ offense would make them deadly.
Another reason not to balk at that offer. Look at what McCaffrey has done with the San Francisco 49ers. The trade that brought McCaffrey to San Francisco is the reason why the 49ers are in the NFC Championship game. If the Bears rebuild their roster in one that can make the playoffs this offseason with their newfound oodles of cap space, adding a player like Barkley would make the offense that much more dynamic if appropriately used.
Unlike the turtlish David Montgomery, who the Bears should look to move on from as a free agent this offseason, Barkley might be an option in the flat Justin Fields finds appealing. That’s one area of FIelds’ passing game he needs to improve on. Barkley would make that task so much simpler.
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