The biggest offseason headline was the decision of former New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley to sign with their NFC East rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles.
It dominated NFL headlines and continues to do so months later.
Interest in Barkley’s decision heated up again last week as a preview trailer for HBO’s “Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants” revealed a potentially interesting conversation between the running back and general manager Joe Schoen.
Taking you behind the scenes of the offseason for the first time ever#HardKnocks Offseason with the New York Giants premieres July 2 on Max. #Giants100 pic.twitter.com/XIwQNT6KYv
— New York Giants (@Giants) June 25, 2024
Barkley had previously said the Giants didn’t make him an offer but Schoen certainly seemed interested in being given a chance to match the Eagles’ offer.
But the trailer was vague and it ultimately doesn’t matter how that conversation played out, says Giants linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux. At the end of the day, Schoen had to do what he felt was best for the franchise long-term.
“It’s a business at the end of the day. I never really took it hard,” Thibodeaux said on the Rich Eisen Show. “I reached out to (Barkley)… This is a not for long league, so you’ve got to get paid when you can. And you can’t miss out on any dollars. We’ve seen it before with past contracts and past players, so I am happy he was able to get the contract he was seeking.”
Eisen pressed Thibodeaux on the message that sends to the locker room after also allowing captains Xavier McKinney and Julian Love to walk over the past two seasons as well.
Thibodeaux didn’t blink.
“When you have the team’s greater good in mind. . . it’s just about the long term,” Thibodeaux said. “Depending on how they view the long-term contracts and the way they want to build the team, it may or may not fit in it. Even (when) you look at me, right? We just paid Brian Burns, so me trying to — within the next couple of years — get a big contract, it may or may not be in the best interest of the team long term.”
That’s a very savvy and mature response for the 23-year-old Thibodeaux. It also shows that he understands roster building and Schoen’s philosophy, which is to not overpay for running backs and safeties.
