Saquon Barkley will forever be known as the RB who almost scored a huge deal. Although the stalemate ended in the Giants’ favor, the star running back made some ruthless changes to his management that will surely lead the industry for years to come. While coveting a long-term deal with fair pay, the Pro Bowler made a huge move, which could have turned monumental if it was done quickly.
Amidst contract renegotiations, Barkley made changes to his agency in order to land a better deal. He chose to follow no other than the Eagles’ pride, Jalen Hurts, who also recently landed a groundbreaking deal, all thanks to his super agent.
Saquon Barkley’s agent has a star-studded client list
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Just weeks before the deadline for a long-term deal, Barkley was represented by Roc Nation Sports, Jay-Z’s creation. He also had CAA for his marketing team, according to Clutch Points. At that point, the agent’s name came out, Kim Miale, who currently represents several top-tier athletes in the league. LB Romeo Okwara, OL Ronnie Stanley, and even WR Dez Bryant are currently represented by the ruthless agent. It’s certainly unpredictable how it could have gone down if Barkley had hired her a while back. Then an esteemed US sportswriter, Mike Florio, applauded the representatives in a recent interview for the recent negotiations.
Florio talked about the ongoing situation with Barkley’s contract on the Rich Eisen Show. He said Barkley declined a $13 million deal with $26 million guaranteed, asking for $16 million per year, which seemed reasonable but out of the Giants’ control. He also claimed that Barkley involved his CAA in the negotiations quite late, possibly impacting the outcome.
Although Barkley was slapped with a mere franchise tag worth $10.1 million dollar with $900k incentives, the Eagles’ man, on the other hand, landed a massive deal, no thanks to his agent.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Jalen Hurts landed a bigger deal than the reigning MVP
This season has been notably distinct from the previous few. Super agents have been ruling the league, coming out with contracts that were once considered impossible. Star quarterback Jalen Hurts’ agent, Nicole Lynn, made headlines for landing him a deal, which is $6 million more than the defending SB champ, Patrick Mahomes. A whopping $51 million annual deal, which sent shockwaves all throughout the industry. Notably, it stayed at the top for a while, until getting taken over by Justin Herbert’s and Lamar Jackson’s deals in recent days.
Over the years, the market has indeed changed, largely due to these super agents. Next season will be intriguing as we witness a rise in compensation, not only for quarterbacks but also for running backs, who have been facing challenges for a long time.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Watch This Story: “Lion is born it’s not a lion”: 26-Year-Old NFL Sensation Saquon Barkley Dominates Instagram with His jaw-Dropping Workout Performance