Saquon Barkley‘s brief holdout has come to an end. His fans can now rejoice as he gears up for his return to the stadiums this season. His unsettled contract situation with the New York Giants in January had raised questions about his future, but the 26-year-old star can now breathe easy, as he signed a one-year deal with the Giants.

Before the $11 million surprise, the running back was on the verge of becoming the first choice for another NFL team, potentially teaming up with Patrick Mahomes‘ former weapon of choice. However, destiny had different plans for Barkley, leading him to a different team. The intriguing question now is, which team was it, and why didn’t they end up signing Barkley?

The Phins tried to trade Barkley before the deal

During the offseason, reports surfaced about the Miami Dolphins being one of the two teams that made trade offers for New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley. However, the identity of the other interested team, much like the Dolphins, remains undisclosed. The potential pairing of Barkley with the Dolphins could have been a significant boost for Mahomes’ former weapon, Tyreek Hill, creating an exciting dynamic on the field.

Despite trade speculation, the Giants rejected both offers, showing no intention of letting go of Barkley this year, ending the rumors. The Dolphins have been actively trying to improve their running back lineup during the offseason. They pursued D’Andre Swift during the NFL draft and picked Devon Achane in Round 3. They also discussed a trade with the Vikings for Dalvin Cook before his release and are now linked as a potential landing spot for him.

Read more: “Could Reset the Market” : Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs Might Be Factors Holding Dalvin Cook Back Amid Dolphins Interest

While the Dolphins continue their pursuit to enhance their running back room, the G-Men made a significant $11 million move recently, solidifying their stance on retaining Barkley for the upcoming season.

Barkley isn’t leaving his NFL home for at least one year now

In the 2023 offseason, Saquon Barkley’s contract situation with the Jints was uncertain. They used a franchise tag on him, but he didn’t sign it, and they couldn’t agree on a long-term contract before the deadline. Barkley wanted more than the offered $10.1 million, even considering sitting out the 2023 season. He reportedly sought a contract of over $16 million per year, ranking him among the highest-paid NFL running backs.

The Big Blue offered $13 million annually with $26 million over the first two years but with a condition to withdraw it if they used the franchise tag. Barkley disputed this on social media because, after the passing of the franchise tag deadline, Barkley would not have been eligible to be re-signed until after the 2023 season. They reportedly offered him up to $19.5 million on a long-term deal, without disclosing the years, but no agreement was reached in time.

Finally, on July 25, the two sides reached an agreement, but it was not a long-term deal. Instead, Barkley and the Giants agreed to a one-year contract worth up to $11 million, with the possibility of increasing his franchise tag value for 2024.

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