What can the New York Giants get if they trade Saquon Barkley? – NFL Nation

INDIANAPOLIS — It is the query that surrounds the New York Giants within the hallways on the NFL scouting mix: Are they actually going to commerce working again Saquon Barkley? It has been requested to this reporter too many occasions to rely over the previous week.

The Giants are at the least open to the chance. They most likely wish to make it occur, however it’s not really easy.

Barkley, 25, has been coping with accidents for many of the previous three seasons and has only one yr left on his contract at $7.2 million. And what’s the worth?

A handful of workforce and league sources had been requested what sort of return the Giants may get in a Barkley commerce. One basic supervisor prompt a fourth-round choose. That was the very best of the projected compensation for the participant the Giants drafted second total within the 2018 NFL draft.

One other govt stated a fifth-round choose.

“Should you’re fortunate,” he added.

Possibly two fifths, one other supply estimated.

Not precisely the anticipated solutions for a participant who was thought-about a slam dunk out of Penn State, was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Yr in 2018 and appeared destined for a legendary profession with the Giants.

However that is the place we stand in 2022, with the Giants in a salary-cap crunch (they’re $5.5 million over the projected cap), and basic supervisor Joe Schoen making an attempt to shed cash. Schoen defined he is “open” to just about something as he tries to achieve his purpose of reducing $40 million off the cap by the beginning of free company on March 16.

Transferring Barkley is one option to make a dent. It is not that he can not help them — the Giants nonetheless suppose he is a very good participant — it is extra the scenario. Barkley is not signed previous this season, they can not realistically put money into him long run given his damage historical past, and the Giants want to chop or commerce a few of the higher gamers from a workforce that went 4-13 final season.

It places the workforce and Barkley in a clumsy spot. It is most likely in the very best curiosity of each to maneuver on, however Schoen and the Giants should determine at what worth it is price making a deal. Simply how determined are they to create cap house this yr? Late-round choose determined?

So it isn’t a lock that Barkley will get moved, he is simply one of many choices, and league sources say he is not the Giants’ prime possibility given the anticipated compensation. Schoen stated the Giants have plans that contain a number of eventualities to create the cap house he covets.

“The contingency plans: We have now A, B, C, D, E. It’s important to look forward to the primary shoe to fall earlier than you make the following determination,” he stated.

The Giants have already lower tight finish Kyle Rudolph and working again Devontae Booker. That provides them $7 million towards Schoen’s purpose. Solely $30-plus million to go.

The explanation buying and selling Barkley is a nonetheless a risk is as a result of groups stay mesmerized by his expertise.

A number of of the executives surveyed stated they might like to have Barkley on their workforce and take the possibility that he stays wholesome. The upside is a top-five working again. They nonetheless consider he’s a very good, doubtlessly nice, participant on this league.

The Giants agree.

“I believe everybody can say, when the child is wholesome he is probably the greatest backs within the league,” Schoen stated.

The executives simply weren’t that excited in regards to the worth to accumulate him. It will price $7.2 million of cap house and a draft choose for a participant on the final yr of his contract. A workforce would mainly be buying and selling for a one-year rental, and never an inexpensive one.

That’s the place the hesitation lies, and what drives the compensation into a spot that after appeared unfathomable.