The direction of the New York Giants’ offseason all hinges on whether or not they can reach a. contract extension with Daniel Jones.
The two sides are currently negotiating as the franchise tag deadline nears, and the Giants likely would prefer to get a deal done rather than tag the quarterback.
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Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, if a deal is reached between the Giants and Jones, Saquon Barkley will be the one who gets tagged.
This would obviously be a no-brainer and best-case scenario for the Giants.
But if the Giants cannot reach a long-term deal with Jones, they face the question of using the franchise tag on the quarterback or running back.
Jones cut down his turnovers in 2022 and led the Giants to the playoffs, including a win over the Minnesota Vikings, and did it with essentially no weapons in his receiving corps. But he still threw for only 3,200 yards and just 15 touchdowns, although he had seven rushing scores as well.
He also had a healthy Barkley, and if Jones returns to the Giants having his star running back in the backfield will be crucial for his continued success.
But it is hard to see the two sticking together if Jones is placed on the franchise tag. Barkley just turned 26 years old and long-term deals to running backs on the other side of 25 tend not to work out.
Tagging Barkley makes the most sense, but what is Jones really worth?
“Figuring out his price has been difficult; they’re working on it,” Rapoport said Thursday on NFL Network. “Several hours a day over the last couple of days, back at it today, [Jones] has a new agency with Athletes First…not there yet but maybe more optimism with the Giants than, say, the Ravens and Lamar Jackson.”
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