21 July 2023 , 22:06
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The New York Giants have signed free agent running back James Robinson after Saquon Barkley suggested he could stay away from the team.
Barkley has threatened to 'hold out' and not return to the Giants after they did not meet his contractual demands this off-season - meaning he'll have to play on a one-year deal.
Talks between the two parties went right down to the last minute, but Barkley will play the 2023 season without a deal and will become a free agent once again this season - something he explicitly stated he wanted to avoid. After the deadline passed, Barkley gave an explicit interview in which he admitted he may not play this season entirely.
And just two days after hearing those quotes, the Giants have made a telling move - signing former 1000 yard rusher James Robinson. The former Jacksonville Jaguar back had an incredibly solid rookie year with 1070 rushing yards and 344 receiving, before he lost his place when the team drafted Travis Etienne in the first-round of the 2021 draft.
A capable back, Robinson will join the Giants already crowded backfield, with rookie Eric Gray and veteran Matt Breida likely to compete for the starting snaps.
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Barkley addressed his contract situation as he appeared on ‘The Money Matters’ podcast. When asked what he could do going into 2023, he said: "My leverage is I could say, 'f*** you' to the Giants, I could say, 'f*** you to my teammates’.
"And be like, 'You want me to show you my worth? You want me to show you how valuable I am to the team? I won't show up. I won't play a down.' And that's a play I could use.
James Robinson has joined the New York Giants"Anybody who knows me, knows that’s not something I want to do. Is it something that’s crossed my mind? I never thought I would ever do that, but now I’m at a point where I’m like, ‘Jesus, I might have to take it to this level.’ Am I prepared to take it to this level? I don’t know.
"That’s something I have to sit down and talk to my family, talk to my team [of advisers] and strategise about this. Can’t just go off of emotions."
Barkley is coming off the back of his best season in the league, rushing for 1312 yards and 10 touchdowns - and is the latest running back to not be paid when many would argue that it's richly deserved, with the league devaluing the position in recent years.