While the NFL has turned the page to the offseason, Bart Scott is just getting started.
The former Baltimore Ravens and New York Jets linebacker is making the most of his recent Get Up appearances, as clips of Scott checking the remnants of Mike Tannenbaum’s coffee cup and later calling Micah Parsons the most sensitive guy he’s ever seen, have made the rounds on social media.
That was Monday.
Wednesday saw Scott take it up a notch, as he made quite the analogy, comparing how the New York Giants have treated Saquon Barkley to that of a side chick during a segment discussing the franchise tag.
“Joe Schoen needs to just tell Saquon, ‘Listen, man, we just not that into you.’ You’re out here treating Saquon like a sidepiece,” said Scott. “They give him just enough to make him satisfied.”
Kimberley A. Martin, who has never minced words when she thinks her colleagues are out of line, told Scott it was a “great analogy.” On the other hand, Mike Greenberg told Scott and Martin that they’d have to explain to him what a “side piece” was during the commercial break.
Bart Scott: "Joe Schoen needs to just tell Saquon, 'Listen man, we just not that into you.' You're out here treating Saquon like a sidepiece. They give him just enough to make him satisfied."
Kimberley A. Martin: "That's a great analogy. It is, unfortunately."
Greeny: "In the… pic.twitter.com/aAWkRPt9vS
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 21, 2024
Well, Greeny, we’ll do you one better. A rough definition here would be essentially the other woman or a mistress, but Dictionary.com defines it as “a woman who has a continuing sexual relationship with a man who has a wife or regular girlfriend.”
And, for lack of a better term, that’s what the Giants are doing with Barkley. They keep stringing along the Penn State product but have no plans to commit to him long term. It doesn’t appear the Giants will be putting a wedding band on Barkley’s finger this offseason, one year after giving him a promise ring.
The Giants placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Barkley on March 7, 2023. He signed the franchise tag after it was adjusted to add a $2 million signing bonus and incentives nearly four months later. Barkley would go on to finish what was likely his final season with the G-Men, putting up impressive numbers: 962 rushing yards (6 TDs), 280 receiving yards (4 TDs), and an average of 3.9 yards per carry and 6.8 yards per catch.
While Barkley’s future with the Giants remains uncertain, some analysts, including the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz, believe Schoen won’t use the franchise tag on him a second time. This viewpoint reportedly stems from questions about Barkley’s long-term effectiveness at age 27.
The bottom line is the Giants are not expected to allocate $12 million on their salary cap for one running back, especially someone they likely view as in decline.
The Giants have conducted studies at the position that show most running backs can trend upward through the age of 26.
Once 27 hits, there is a cliff off which most start to fall.
Barkley turned 27 on Feb. 9.
Barkley’s future in New York remains uncertain, and only time will tell if the Giants choose to invest long-term in their former second-overall pick.
