Ex-NFL GM claims Giants are trying to con players amid Saquon Barkley issue, $160M Daniel Jones move

For Saquon Barkley and Daniel Jones, it's been a tale of two offseasons. Both were likely to stay with the New York Giants, but each was given a different deal to stay with the team. Barkley was given the franchise tag worth over $10 million while Jones signed a $160 million extension with $92 million guaranteed. The contracts are clearly night and day of one other.

Former Cleveland Browns general manager Michael Lombardi claims the franchise is conning their players following Jones' contract extension:

“You paid Daniel Jones but now you’re not gonna pay Saquon. You’re not gonna give Dexter [Lawrence]. Everybody in that locker room knows the reason they won wasn’t because of Daniel Jones. He had something to do with it but he didn’t carry the team. The players know this. You can’t con the players."

"They know this. So there it is, right. The chronic feeling of underappreciation. Saquon feels unappreciation. Daniel doesn’t, but Saquon does. Dexter does. And so, this is what happens. And they didn’t win enough, and they’re not good enough as a team to be able to go through this."

Lombardi concluded:

"Like, they didn’t win a championship. They won nine freakin games, beat a shi**y Minnesota team and got their ass kicked. They’re not good enough to have the ‘disease of me’.”

Multiple reports state that both Saquon Barkley and defensive end Dexter Lawrence will not be in attendance for the Giants' offseason program. The former Penn State star had a career resurgence last season, finishing fourth in the NFL with 1,312 yards.

Saquon Barkley had 295 carries for 1,312 yards and scored 10 touchdowns in 2022. He was the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2018, rushing for 1,307 yards and 2,028 total yards from scrimmage, leading the league that season.

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Dallas Cowboys star wants Saquon Barkley to get paid

Many feel that Saquon Barkley deserves a long-term deal from the Giants. One such person is Dallas Cowboys star linebacker Micah Parsons. The two-time Pro Bowler took to Twitter to advocate for Barkley to get a new deal from the Giants.

According to Spotrac, the Giants running back's market value is a four-year, $49.2 million contract, averaging $12.3 million a year. Time will tell whether Giants general manager Joe Schoen will give Barkley a new deal, as he did with Daniel Jones this offseason.