NFL Rumors: Saquon Barkley could hold out through training camp
The New York Giants made their bed this offseason. And now lying in it, particularly with Saquon Barkley, could get increasingly uncomfortable.
With both Barkley and Daniel Jones hitting free agency this offseason, the Giants elected to hand out a four-year contract to their quarterback while placing the franchise tag on Barkley, the former No. 2 overall pick. The tag would pay Barkley just over $10 million for the 2023 season but the back has been clear that he wants a more substantial deal, which is why he's not yet signed his franchise tender.
The July 17 date for franchise tagged players to sign a long-term contract extension is fast-approaching and there appears to be little progress on a deal. Now, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler is reporting that Barkley is a "real threat" to hold out through training camp in the preseason if he and the Giants don't reach terms on a long-term deal (h/t Bleacher Report).
Should Barkley and the Giants not reach an agreement before the aforementioned deadline, the only thing that could be done would be a one-year contract separate from the franchise tag. In that case, though, Fowler's report suggests that the running back could still be a camp holdout when the time comes because of his desire for a long-term contract.
Barkley holding out could be hugely detrimental to New York in the second year of the new coaching regime that helped guide the team to the postseason a year ago and is looking to build upon that. Moreover, it could also make way for a trade demand from the running back, which would also obviously not help the cause in any manner either.
If the pressure wasn't already on the Giants to get a contract done with Saquon Barkley, it definitely is now.
NFL Rumors: Mike Evans, Bucs working on third contract in surprise move
Even before Tom Brady came and helped lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a Super Bowl, Mike Evans was putting up ridiculous numbers. That, of course, only continued once Brad arrived.
But now it's a new era with the Bucs. Brady has retired and the club is looking at either Baker Mayfield or Kyle Trask as the starting quarterback for the 2023 season. Even if you're bullish on either of those players, that's a substantial downgrade — and it's hard to be bullish given what we've seen from Mayfield and haven't seen from Trask.
All of that comes to paint a picture of a semi-rebuild in Tampa Bay. And the future of Mike Evans has been a topic of discussion in that regard. He's set to hit free agency this offseason, even with three years of restructures still on the Bucs' books beyond this season. For a wide receiver who will turn 30 years old this season, though, some have speculated that Evan's time with Tampa Bay might be done.
Evans and the Bucs have other plans.
According to Buccaneers insider Rick Stroud, Evans and the team are reportedly having discussions on a third contract now with hopes of getting a new deal done this summer. Stroud mentioned the Davante Adams contract (five years, $140 million, $65.67 million guaranteed) as a likely guiding point for a new deal with Evans.
For Tampa Bay, though, that's a risky proposition. At 30 years old, you could argue that Evans might be nearing the end of his prime and, more importantly, paying a player top-of-market money at wide receiver at that age is quite risky.
At the same time, though, the Bucs figure to be heavily in the quarterback market next year, most notably with a loaded 2024 NFL Draft class at the position. Perhaps this is an indication of their plans there as a rookie deal at quarterback offers the flexibility to commit big money to Evans and Chris Godwin, who signed a big extension last offseason.
In any case, the thought that Evans might be done in Tampa Bay should definitely be put on hold. As things currently stand, that's not in the receiver's nor the Bucs' plans.
NFL Rumors: New Steelers DB Patrick Peterson puts all the pressure on Pickett
When you look around the Pittsburgh Steelers roster, it's hard to find any true weakness after the offseason they pieced together. With the offensive line fortified by the additions of Broderick Jones and Isaac Seumalo, the offensive line is substantially improved. The skill positions are both young and terrific, and we know that T.J. Watt, Cameron Heyward and the defense are going to perform.
The biggest factor is how Kenny Pickett plays in year two. There's no doubt that the Steelers quarterback is well aware of that. But if you're a teammate in Mike Tomlin's locker room, though, the expectation would be that you would do everything to support your quarterback.
However, one of Pittsburgh's biggest offseason additions, veteran cornerback Patrick Peterson, is simply putting pressure on his new signal-caller. A lot of it.
In a recent interview with Jim Rome, Peterson was asked if the Steelers could win a Super Bowl. And the cornerback essentially put it all on the back of his quarterback.
"I do, and what it's going to come down to is we have all the pieces that we need on defense," Peterson said. "We know defense wins championships. We have talent across the board on the offensive side of the ball. I believe the front office did a great job of getting what we needed in the draft as far as getting Broderick (Jones) in the first round, a left tackle, young pup who you should expect to see play a lot. You added Allen Robinson, you got Diontae Johnson, you got George Pickens, you got Najee (Harris). You know it's all going to come down to how well Kenny can play and can he put the ball where it needs to go."
That last line is the kicker. Talk about asking a lot from one guy.
To be clear, Peterson isn't wrong. Pickett took over as the starting quarterback early last season and had his share of ups and downs but, overall, looked promising. And how he performs in his sophomore campaign is vitally important to the level of success Pittsburgh can reach in the 2023 season.
At the same time, though, fans would likely expect a teammate, especially one who has logged some miles around the NFL, to do what they can to foster a young quarterback and his psyche — not put the weight of the world on his shoulders.
