Edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux of the New York Giants feels that his team’s decision to pay running back Saquon Barkley last offseason should have taken precedence over quarterback Daniel Jones’.
On the Wave Sports + Entertainment original 7PM in Brooklyn podcast, Thibodeaux made the comments to Carmelo Anthony and The Kid Mero (1:28:41 mark).
“The only thing I’ll say about it is to tell you what I’m angry about. I’m upset with Saquon [Barkley] because, based on the game film, he was accountable for at least thirty percent of our explosive plays, including the one in which we won the playoff game. Because we all share the same values and I feel that Saquon should uphold the integrity of hard work and teamwork,
In 2023, Jones struggled mightily in six games, throwing just two touchdowns (to six interceptions) and amassing only 151.5 passing yards per game. He suffered a neck injury in Week 5 against the Miami Dolphins that sidelined him for three games before returning and then suffering a season-ending torn ACL in Week 9 against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Meanwhile, the Giants placed the franchise tag on Barkley, who is now set to become a free agent this offseason.
Barkley enjoyed his second Pro Bowl campaign in 2022, amassing 1,650 yards and 10 touchdowns. His 1,312 rushing yards were a career-high mark. He followed that up 1,242 total yards and 10 scores in 2023 over 14 games.
It’s frankly unclear who will be QB1 and RB1 in New York next year after a bitterly disappointing season in which the Giants finished 6-11 and were never in the playoff race. It’s possible the Giants look to acquire a quarterback in the draft to challenge Jones, and it’s also conceivable Big Blue lets Barkley walk.
For now, though, it appears there are a lot more questions than answers in New York, which needs to regroup after a disappointing second campaign under general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll.
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