5 priorities for NY Giants GM Joe Schoen starting right now

Jordan Addison, USC. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
Jordan Addison, USC. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – FEBRUARY 05: LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – FEBRUARY 05: NFC running back Saquon Barkley #26 of the New York Giants warms up prior to an NFL Pro Bowl football game at Allegiant Stadium on February 05, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – FEBRUARY 05: LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – FEBRUARY 05: NFC running back Saquon Barkley #26 of the New York Giants warms up prior to an NFL Pro Bowl football game at Allegiant Stadium on February 05, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)

3. Re-sign Saquon Barkley

After re-signing his franchise quarterback to a long-term extension, Schoen must do the same with his running back. Barkley put many of the injury concerns surrounding him to rest in 2022, as he played in 16 regular season games and two playoff games. Barkley rushed for a career-high 1,312 yards on a career-high 295 carries. Barkley also had 338 reaching yards on 57 catches and 10 total touchdowns.

In the modern NFL, running backs should not get long-term contracts, but Barkley is an exception to that rule. It is hard to fully describe the impact Barkley has on the Giants offense when on the field, but most importantly, he takes a tremendous amount of pressure off Danny Dimes.

Even with the explosion of young running backs into the NFL, backs like Barkley, who play all three downs while possessing elite speed, power, receiving and blocking abilities, simply do not exist. Barkley is the face of the Giants, and Schoen needs to make sure it stays that way.

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