The Giants upped their contract offer to Saquon Barkley. Sort of.
After Barkley previously turned down a multi-year extension worth $13 million per year with only $19.5 million guaranteed, as first reported last week by The Post, the Giants increased the guaranteed portion to slightly north of $22 million, according to Giants Insider and NorthJersey.com.
But, in exchange for upping the guarantees, the Giants lowered the average annual value on their latest offer, sources told The Post.
The $22 million is a relevant number because it is in the ballpark of what Barkley would be guaranteed ($22.2 million) if he plays on the franchise tag in 2023 and 2024.
It is an encouraging sign that the sides are at least talking and exchanging offers Monday because weeks of silence preceded Monday’s 4 p.m. deadline for working out an extension.
After that passes, Barkley must play on the franchise tag (one year, $10.1 million contract) or sit on the sidelines, whether just for training camp or into the regular season when he would begin missing weekly paychecks.