Giants GM on Saquon Barkley: Daniel Jones Isn’t Making $40M to Hand Off to $12M RB

New York Giants general manager Joe Schoen offered a blunt assessment when the team was debating whether or not to use the franchise tag on Saquon Barkley earlier this offseason.

In a moment captured on camera for Hard Knocks (h/t Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith), Schoen explained to other Giants decision-makers that Daniel Jones’ contract was prohibitive to keeping Barkley.

“You’re paying the guy $40 million. It’s not to hand the ball off to a $12 million back,” Schoen said.

Barkley would have earned $12.1 million on the one-year tender in 2024 if the Giants had used their franchise tag to retain him. He was tagged last offseason and wound up signing a one-year deal for up to $11 million when the two sides couldn’t agree to terms on a long-term extension.

The Giants had the tag available last year because they were able to work out a four-year, $160 million contract with Jones. There was some thought before the deal that Jones, not Barkley, could be the one to get tagged because he was coming off a solid 2022 that increased his value.

Unfortunately for the Giants, their investment in Jones quickly looked like one of the worst contracts in the NFL. He threw for 909 yards with two touchdowns and six interceptions in six starts last season before tearing his ACL in Week 9 against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Barkley wound up leaving the Giants to sign a three-year, $37.5 million contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. The two-time Pro Bowler will get two chances to play against his former team this season, with the first matchup in Week 7 at MetLife Stadium.

Jones will be given the chance to redeem himself as New York’s starter going into 2024, though there has been speculation that Drew Lock could be QB1 on the depth chart.

Schoen seemed to acknowledge on the show that the plan is for Jones to enter the season as the starter.

“This is the year for Daniel,” Schoen said. “The plan all along was to give him a couple years. Is he our guy for the next 10 years? Or do we need to pivot and go find someone else?”

Schoen has a lot invested in Jones’ success right now. If things don’t work out for the 27-year-old quarterback, it could result in another poor season for the team and potentially lead to Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll finding themselves on the hot seat.