Mara wants Saquon ‘for a very long time’

ASaquon Barkley contract extension sounded like a forgone conclusion on Wednesday. Giants co-owner John Mara left no gray area. “I certainly expect him to be a Giant for a very long time,” Mara said.

Dave Gettleman was not asked about Barkley, but after Mara said that, there was nothing more the GM needed to say.

As of New Year’s Day, Barkley and all 2016 draft picks are eligible to renegotiate or extend their rookie contracts.

Barkley, 23, is recovering from an Oct. 30 surgery to repair a torn ACL and a partially torn meniscus in his right knee, an injury sustained in Week 2 at Soldier Field.

But Barkley is expected to seek a long-term contract extension this offseason, and the Daily News reported on Dec. 30 that Barkley was off crutches and driving himself to the Giants’ facility, well on his way back toward full strength for the 2021 season.

Gettleman wouldn’t commit to any free agency direction until the NFL sets its salary cap, which is expected to drop from this season’s $198.2 million, perhaps to $175 million, due to the pandemic’s financial impact on the league.

So the GM couldn’t say how he would proceed with impending free-agent defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson or defensive end Leonard Williams, either.

But Mara made clear that the Giants intend to retain Barkley for the long term.

“It was brutal to watch him go down in Week 2,” Mara said of Barkley’s injury. “He’s such an important part of this team, not only for what he does on the field but the leadership and all the intangibles he brings to us off the field. And that was really a gut punch.”

SPENDING GOES ON

Mara acknowledged the Giants and NFL sustained major financial losses due to the pandemic but said it won’t affectthe franchise’s ability to do business.

“Well, it was a huge financial hit for us this year, no question about it. We did suffer some pretty significant financial losses,” Mara said. “But it’s not going to affect our ability to be active in free agency or to do what we have to do to improve the team. Hopefully this is a one-year thing and we’ll be able to have fans back in the building next season.”

NO BOOS FOR THE BIRDS

Mara said he had not called anyone in the Eagles organization about Sunday night’s tanking that handed Washington the NFC East. Mara refreshingly blamed his own team’s shortcomings for failing to reach the postseason.

“The reason we didn’t make the playoffs is we didn’t win enough games,” he said. “We had to win one more game to get into the playoffs. That’s on us. We can’t blame that on anybody else.”

Safety Logan Ryan had said after Sunday’s win over the Cowboys that the Giants are “the best team in the division” and “we definitely deserve to represent the NFC East.”

But Mara sanely centered the conversation.

“We were 6-10. We didn’t deserve to be in the playoffs at 6-10. We would have taken it, but we didn’t deserve to be there,” he said.

WHAT ABOUT GARRETT?

So there is no scapegoat for the Giants’ poor 2020 season, and specifically their under-performing offense, just yet. Gettleman is back. Joe Judge and Daniel Jones are back, as well.

So the question is, what about offensive coordinator Jason Garrett? Not only is Garrett likely to interview for the Chargers job and others. But is there even a guarantee the Giants are bringing him back?

“As far as the potential of Jason leaving, of course it makes you a little antsy,” Gettleman said. “Just imagine any of you (reporters) having your fourth editor in four years. It’s the same thing. So we’ll adjust and adapt and do what we have to do, and obviously anything we do, Daniel’s a big part of it. And we’re certainly conscious of that piece.”

Gettleman also cited Jones’ three offensive coordinators in the last three years as an excuse for Jones’ gradual development: Duke college coach David Cutcliffe (2018), Giants coach Pat Shurmur (2019) and Garrett (2020).

MARA: NO ELI MANDATE

Mara said any suggestion that ownership forced Gettleman to stick with Eli Manning at quarterback in 2018 and 2019 is “absolute nonsense.”

“We have never given any such orders or directions,” Mara said. “We definitely made some miscalculations in a number of areas in 2018, but there was never any direction from ownership one way or the other.”

Of course, if Mara didn’t make the Manning decision, then Gettleman did. And that is one enormous reason — the primary reason — the Giants are still so far away.