Saquon stiff-arms any holdout talk
Saquon Barkley can’t say when his surgically repaired right knee will be back to full strength.
“I have no expectation, no set day when I’m going to be full go,” Barkley said Wednesday.
But he seemed to indicate that his contract situation won’t keep him out when he’s good to go.
“When it comes to the contract situation, that’s something that’s not even crossing my mind,” Barkley said Wednesday when asked if he would play without a new deal. “I have an amazing agent. Those are things that I have conversations with her about. But for me right now, the only thing I’m focusing on is coming here and working my butt off to get ready as soon as I can so when I’m out there, I’m not just 100 percent, I am 110 percent and I can perform to the best of my ability for my team.”
In other words, Barkley’s contract is a topic of conversation, but he doesn’t consider it a concern.
Co-owner John Mara said in March that he hopes Barkley will be “a Giant for life,” but he also said the Giants are “not in any hurry” to get a new contract done for his running back.
That was a stronger tone than Mara had used previously on the topic, and being in “no hurry” with Barkley stood in stark contrast to the Giants’ big spending in free agency on others.
Barkley saw good friend Odell Beckham Jr. traded by the Giants just seven months after signing a $95 million long-term deal, so he knows there are no guarantees here. Still, he was aware of Mara’s “Giant for life” comment, and he said he didn’t take it lightly.
“Hearing the owner come out and … basically speaking on longevity and seeing me here in the future, that means a lot,” Barkley said. “This is the place that drafted me. It’s a special place to me. And it’s an honor and privilege to be able to put on the blue and white and come out as a Giant.”
The Giants picked up Barkley’s fifth-year option for the 2022 season already, which was a no-brainer. And Mara said in that same interview in March that “at the appropriate time we’ll start those discussions,” acknowledging it’s on the horizon.
But recent history indicates that anything can change or evolve.
On Wednesday, actually, when Barkley was asked directly if he would play without a new contract, the first word out of his mouth was “no.” But the rest of his answer indicated he was saying no to the suggestion of a holdout, no in direct answer to that hypothetical.
GRAHAM ON JETS
Giants defensive coordinator/ assistant head coach Pat Graham didn’t even take his head coaching interview with the Jets in January when requested. He signed a contract extension with the Giants and declined instead.
Why?
“To me, the Giants, this is my dream job to be here as the defensive coordinator for the New York Giants,” he said. “So I’m just happy to be here. I don’t know. It’s nothing against [the Jets] or anything. I’m just happy to be a New York Giant. Goes back to my days at Notre Dame with (Giants co-Director of player personnel) Tim McDonnell when I knew him, a lot of my mentors. The people that I learned football from had connections with the New York Giants. That’s important to me.
“I happen to be here working with one of my friends, Joe Judge,” Graham added, “and I’ve got a great group of guys to work with and a great group of coaches and players.”
PEPPERS: IT’S A NO-GO WITH GANO
Strong safety Jabrill Peppers wanted to switch his jersey from No. 21 to his college number at Michigan, No. 5. But kicker Graham Gano has it, and Peppers admitted that Gano’s asking price was “way too high.”
“I tried [to negotiate], but he’s not budging,” Peppers said. “You know, I’m thinking about hanging it up. I still probably got a month to try to see what I can do, try to swing him my way. But at the moment, it’s not looking too good.”