Injuries can change the course of your career. Serious injuries usually lead to deviations.
Saquon Barkley is recovering from a serious injury, currently recovering after surgery on October 30 to repair a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. Although scary and emotionally draining for the athlete, these are generally routine procedures these days and players tend to fully recover. Still, Barkley is a running back with tree trunk legs and unusual speed and agility. The giants are eager to see what their star looks like in the spring and summer.
Entering his fourth season in the NFL, it would be time for Barkley, 24, to negotiate a new deal, as he is at the end of his $ 31.1 million four-year rookie contract. The injury, however, more than complicates his financial future and makes it almost impossible to agree on a new deal before this season. How can the Giants put a market value on a player who comes out of surgery? And how can Barkley ask for more money when he still hasn’t been able to prove he’s back to what he was before?
The Giants must determine by May 3 whether they will choose Barkley’s fifth year option. It is not a financial burden to do so. With the salary cap for 2021 officially set at $ 182.5 million per team on Wednesday, Barkley’s fifth year option – since he was selected for a Pro Bowl in his career – is set at $ 7, 2 million for the 2022 season. That money is fully guaranteed, regardless of any injury. It is a bargain for a star player – that is, if Barkley emerges again as a star player – and it is apparently an easy move for the Giants to make. There is no reason why they should not choose the option. He keeps the second choice in the 2018 NFL Draft under the team’s control for the next two years.
Barkley counts $ 10 million by the 2021 limit, which means that the fifth year option in 2022 would actually be a reduction in the limit for the Giants. Depending on how Barkley returns and performs this season, the Giants may – and probably would – make a new deal for Barkley so that he doesn’t play in the fifth-year option contract.
Clearly, Barkley’s injury will complicate a long-term deal soon.
“Well, I think this is part of the discussion and, obviously, we will have to make a decision in the spring whether we choose your fifth year option or not,” said general manager Dave Gettleman. “You know, again, it’s about that medical issue. It is unknown and what you have to do is to involve your trainer and your doctors and make your best decision. ”
Gettleman, in the second week of March, did not have to reveal his intentions as to what will come next with Barkley. Even hearing that there is a “decision” to be made as to the fifth year option could be worth noting, but it is probably just posture and caution. The Giants are sure to put Barkley in the building sometime this spring, and his medical team will check on the progress he made after reconstructive surgery.
After a sensational debut season – 1,307 running yards, 91 receptions for 721 yards and a total of 15 scored touchdowns – Barkley struggled with an ankle sprain in 2019 that slowed his production (1,003 running yards, 52 receptions to 438 yards and one total of eight touchdowns). Barkley fell in the 2nd week of last season and the Giants became one of the most ineffective attacks in the league, finishing 31st in the score.
“Every team needs game creators, let’s be honest, ” said Gettleman. “God willing, Saquon will be 100 percent and will obviously make a big difference. A healthy Saquon obviously makes a big difference. ‘