The New York Giants and Daniel Jones are running out of time to reach a deal ahead of Tuesday’s franchise tag deadline.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero and ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler are all reporting that the Giants will place Jones on the franchise tag if the two sides cannot come to an agreement by Tuesday.
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Per Graziano, there is still “optimism” a deal could be reached and Fowler added that a four-year deal in excess of $160 million are the terms that are being discussed, although he noted talks are still fluid.
“When I ask people in Indy [at the NFL Combine] what has surprised them the most this week, the main answer is that the Giants appear comfortable giving Jones a huge deal,” Fowler wrote. “They aren’t shying away from these talks.”
Pelissero, however, reported that Jones’ agents left Indianapolis “with no contract resolution in sight.”
Jones and his agents have reportedly been pushing for a deal that would pay Jones at least $45 million per year, which would make him a top-five paid quarterback in the league (likely top 10 after extensions to other QBs this offseason).
The franchise tag would mean Jones would play on a one-year, $32.4 million deal if the two sides cannot agree on an extension by July.
The Giants would probably prefer to reach a deal with Jones as they reportedly plan to use the franchise tag on running back Saquon Barkley if Jones is signed for the long term.
If the Giants instead use it on Jones, it is unclear how that changes their approach to Barkley, although Fowler noted in his report that the team is looking to be active in free agency despite big money attached to Jones, specifically the defensive front seven where the Giants lack depth.
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