PHILADELPHIA — Saquon Barkley mentioned he wasn’t conscious on the time that his dialog with New York Giants basic supervisor Joe Schoen — an change that appeared just lately on HBO’s “Arduous Knocks” — was being recorded.
In that dialog, Schoen let Barkley know that as an alternative of creating a suggestion to the star operating again or inserting the franchise tag on him, they had been going to permit the two-time Professional Bowler to check the free agent market.
Barkley mentioned he noticed the taped dialog when watching a trailer for an upcoming episode. He stopped wanting saying he was “shocked” when requested whether or not he was shocked that the Giants allowed the change to air.
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“On the finish of the day, I additionally suppose they’ve management of the edits they usually might have painted me to look actually dangerous,” Barkley mentioned Wednesday, “they usually form of gave the reality.”
The reality, as proven via Schoen’s telephone dialog with agent Ed Berry, is that the Giants weren’t keen to supply the identical as different groups within the combine for Barkley’s companies.
“We’re out,” Schoen mentioned.
The division-rival Philadelphia Eagles had been in, inking Barkley to a three-year contract value $37.75 million that features $26 million assured.
The drama between the Giants and Barkley wasn’t as intense as portrayed, Barkley mentioned, however he gave credit score to “Arduous Knocks” for providing distinctive perception into negotiations which might be usually achieved behind the scenes.
“‘Arduous Knocks’ was distinctive, however that is prior to now,” Barkley mentioned. “I lived it; I bought to observe it; and now I am able to deal with what issues most — and that is being right here with my teammates and getting higher every day.”
Barkley was greeted with a loud ovation as he made his manner out of the observe facility and onto the sector Wednesday, which marked the primary day of coaching camp for the Eagles. Cheers rang out each time he touched the ball through the hour-plus session.
“I positively heard it. There’s a little pleasure with me being right here,” he mentioned. “Since coming to Philly, it has been nothing however love and a number of help from everybody inside the constructing, the followers.”
Barkley, coming into his seventh NFL season, amassed greater than 5,200 dashing yards and 35 touchdowns with the Giants. However being in a distinct setting has him feeling like a “rookie” and, in Wednesday’s case, “slightly child” as he soaked within the new ambiance, full with shouts of “Saquon!” as he ran down the sideline.
“The very first thing I mentioned to A.J. [Brown] is, ‘I can not consider they pay us to do that — to come back out right here and play soccer,'” he mentioned.
