The New York Giants, by way of HBO Films, released a brand new teaser trailer for the upcoming docuseries “Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants” on Tuesday.
The preview gives us a window into what the series will cover from free agency to the draft to OTAs and minicamps. This arc, which features the Giants for the first time since the show’s inception back in 2001, focuses on the offseason and their efforts to build the roster and rehab their injured players.
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
One particular part of the snippet is the conversation general manager Joe Schoen has with impending free agent running back Saquon Barkley, who left the Giants for the Philadelphia Eagles.
57 seconds in, #Giants GM Joe Schoen says to Saquon Barkley, "Can you give us your word on that or are you not going to give us a chance?"
This show might be much better than I expected.
My reporting is NYG never made Barkley an offer all offseason. And that call happened… https://t.co/kPMRl4FKlW
— Ryan Dunleavy (@rydunleavy) June 25, 2024
The Giants reportedly did not make Barkley an offer nor did they get a chance to counter when it was known he was about to sign with Philly.
On March 13, Barkley inked a three-year, $37.75 million contract with $26 million guaranteed with the Eagles. That appeared to be a number the Giants weren’t willing to pay anyway. But still, many fans were not pleased with how this turned out.
“I wish Saquon nothing but the best,” Schoen said after Barkley signed with the Eagles. “You can’t keep them all. He did a lot for the franchise. Walter Payton Man of the Year, a lot of production. I enjoyed working with him for two years and everything he did for Dabs and I in that playoff run. I wish him nothing but the best.”
Co-owner John Mara, who had hoped that Barkley would retire a Giant, was disappointed the team could not keep the running back.
“It was tough, it really was,” Mara said of losing Barkley. “Everything he did for us on the field, off the field, he was a class act in every respect. I hated to see him leave. I certainly hated to see him go in the division.
“On a more personal note, I have 14 grandchildren who have a (number) 26 jersey, and it was tough breaking the news to them, too. Saquon was everything you want a player to be. I hated to see him leave.”
That conversation between Schoen and Barkley will certainly be interesting to watch and may reveal more details the public had not been made aware of.
“Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants” premieres on Tuesday, July 2.
