No tag for Barkley

[uconnjack8]

This whole narrative of him wanting to be a "Giant for life" is a bit overblown in my opinion. I'm not saying it has no truth to it, but the guy was given a very solid offer last offseason and he refused to take it. Don't forget he also passed on an offer in the middle of the season. We may not know the precise terms of the offers but it's very fair to say there is virtually zero chance anyone would make those same offers to him today. Not after what was just an OK 2023 season with yet another injury leading to multiple missed games. If he were so hell-bent on remaining a Giant I doubt he would have passed on the offer Schoen had on the table last spring.

I'm not faulting him in any way, mind you, as he is perfectly entitled to do whatever he feels he needs to do to best serve his interests. But this whole "Giant for life" thing shouldn't be taken so literally in my opinion. I take it more as "it would be nice, but...."

Fair enough.  I think last year he overplayed his hand and thought the RB market would be different than it is. 

I still think if the Giants offered the same contract as another team he would likely stay in NY.  I just don't think there will be offers north of 10 million/year with about 40% guarantees. 

I could be way off if a team like the Texans who have a lot if cap space want to help out their young QB.

[nb587]

Maybe he overplayed his hand, maybe he didn't.  The fact that he didn't accept the Giants offer probably helps the Giants in that he probably would be on the team for the next 2 years at more than $12 million a year.  If the Giants franchised him this year, which I believe they (and he) don't want them to do, I think it's in the neighborhood of $12 m a year.

I think he's almost definitely leaving and the club that makes the most sense is Houston. They have Cap money, they are a team on the rise with a young QB on a great contract, they could use a RB and Barkley has that aura of a top RB, their OL is not bad and probably a lot better than ours, and a pointI have not seen mentioned, there is no income tax in Texas (I think).