Today is the final day the New York Giants have to reach a contract extension with Pro Bowl running back Saquon Barkley. They have until 4 PM ET to try and get Barkley under contract long-term. His other options are to either sign his $10.09 million franchise tag or sit out the season altogether.
No one anticipates the 26-year-old star to sit on the sidelines at the peak of his career, but at this point, no one knows what will happen between the G-Men and their leading rusher.
However, the Giants’ front office seems to be making contingency plans either way, by bringing in a highly accomplished USFL star for a workout.
According to Aaron Wilson, the Giants brought Houston Gamblers RB Mark Thompson in on Monday morning to evaluate the 28-year-old tailback’s skills. Thompson, 28, qualifies as a power back and stands at 6-foot-1, 235 pounds.
He’s coming off a fantastic campaign in the USFL, where he won Offensive Player of the Year, leading the league with an average of 81.6 rushing yards per game in 2023.
While Thompson may be able to land a roster spot with the Giants no matter what happens with Barkley’s contract, the fact that he’s already 28 indicates he may already be close to his ceiling.
In other words, the G-Men likely aren’t looking at Thompson for anything other than as a deep reserve, competing with Eric Gray, Gary Brightwell, and Jashaun Corbin for one of the final spots on the roster. But it never hurts to see what type of talent is available, especially after Thompson showed he could play football at an extremely high level this past season.
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