Much of the discussion around the Giants’ offseason thus far has focused on Saquon Barkley – will the Giants franchise tag the running back? Extend him?
But there’s another question mark – the future of a young player on the other side of the ball who is coming off an impressive contract year.
That’s safety Xavier McKinney. And with the two-week franchise tag window now open, the Giants could choose to use it on either player. Tagging Barkley would cost $12.1 million, and McKinney’s tag price is $16.2 million. But there’s another option that the Giants are reportedly considering.
According to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post, if a deal cannot get done between the Giants and McKinney’s representatives, there is a possibility that New York will apply the transition tag on him. That would cost the Giants $13.9 million, and they have until March 5 to apply it.
The transition tag would allow McKinney to negotiate a deal with any other team, while the Giants can match it to retain the 24-year-old. If the Giants choose not to match, they lose McKinney and do not receive compensation.
McKinney, a second-round draft pick in 2020, was ranked the fourth-best safety in the NFL in 2023, according to PFF. In 2022, he missed seven games after an ATV accident and struggled when healthy, but rebounded this past season to prove himself as an important part of the Giants’ defense.
Bridget Hyland may be reached at [email protected].
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