Giants rookie running back Saquon Barkley, the second overall pick in the 2018 draft, has yet to sign a contract. He’s one of eight top-10 picks without one.
But Barkley isn’t worried about that. He says he will be at training camp when it opens, which means he’ll be signing a contract before then.
“I forgot I haven’t even signed that yet,” Barkley said Wednesday, via Newsday. “I’m not really focusing on that right now. I’m just focused on having fun and playing football. The way I think about it when I was growing up I didn’t have a contract, I didn’t get money to play, so it doesn’t bother me not having a contract right now.”
For most rookie deals, there’s nothing to really negotiate. For players taken at the top of the process, the main variables are whether the fully-guaranteed deal will have offset language, and the cash flow of the signing bonus.
“To be honest, I kind of just said to my agent that I really don’t care, you just talk it out,” Barkley said regarding Roc Nation’s Kim Miale. “I think I have the best agent in the world and I know she and the Giants are going to get it done and whenever it’s ready for me to sign, I’ll sign.”
Of course, his vow to show up for training camp -- which necessarily includes a vow to sign the last, best offer on the table as camp opens -- gives leverage to the Giants. If they choose to squeeze him a little on the lingering negotiable items, he’ll apparently blink. Because he apparently won’t hold out.