New York Giants owner John Mara was emotional after star running back Saquon Barkley chose to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles as a free agent. Mara texted Barkley expressing his feelings, admitting that he “hated” seeing him go to a division rival. Despite offering Barkley contracts previously, the Giants were unable to retain him, and now they must face the reality of seeing him play against them twice a year for the next three seasons. Barkley’s deal with the Eagles is worth up to $46.76 million over five years.
When news broke of Barkley’s decision to join the Eagles, it was revealed that the Giants did not offer him a contract this time in free agency. Barkley confirmed this by retweeting reports that stated the Eagles, along with the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans, were the only teams to send him offers. The Giants had franchise tagged Barkley last offseason, and before that, they had offered him a contract worth $13 million per year, which fell short of Barkley’s desired $16 million. Barkley’s Eagles contract has an annual average value of $12.583 million with $26 million guaranteed.
After finalizing his deal with the Eagles, Barkley apologized for not handling his goodbye to the Giants organization and its fans properly. He thanked the Giants, their fans, and the organization for their support and impact on his career over the past six years. Barkley expressed his gratitude towards the Mara and Tisch families, as well as the Giants organization, while acknowledging that the NFL is a business and hoping for respect regarding his decision to move on.
John Mara had been a fan of the Giants selecting Barkley with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Barkley set rookie records for scrimmage yards and continued to excel throughout his time with the team, despite a major knee injury in 2020. Mara and Giants fans had high hopes for Barkley’s future with the team, but negotiations fell through, leading to his departure for the Eagles. Mara and the Giants organization must now come to terms with seeing Barkley play for a division rival.
Following Barkley’s departure, the Giants moved quickly to find a replacement, signing Devin Singletary to a three-year contract worth $16.5 million. Barkley’s absence leaves a void in the Giants’ backfield, but Singletary’s signing provides a potential solution. Despite the disappointment of losing Barkley to the Eagles, the Giants are focused on moving forward and building a competitive team for the upcoming season. The loss of Barkley may be significant, but the team is optimistic about their future with Singletary and other key players in place.
