Hard Knocks is back in New York again.
The classic HBO docuseries kicked off its new offseason version of the show on Tuesday night, following the Giants as they lead up to the show’s traditional version this fall, which will feature No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears.
Not much was said in the opening episode, but Giants fans did get a behind-the-scenes look at how the team entered negotiations to sign pass rusher Brian Burns and how they began talks to part ways with veteran running back Saquon Barkley.
Early trade talks for Burns
The Giants traded Burns last offseason in a deal with the Carolina Panthers, something that apparently began back in February at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.
General manager Joe Schoen, who was the main character in the episode, began by asking fellow general managers if anyone would be interested in trading for the Giants’ No. 6 overall pick in the draft, though he was only half-joking. Eventually, Panthers general manager Dan Morgan made an offer for Burns.
“Ohhh!” replied Shoe.
Although it took a while, in exchange for a second- and fifth-round draft pick, Burns signed a five-year, $150 million contract with the Giants, where he’ll now make a huge impact in a place where the franchise clearly needed help. That was one of Schoen’s big needs at the start of Tuesday night’s premiere.
Hey, it never hurts to ask.
And what about Saquon Barkley?
While there was plenty to say on Tuesday night — we got an inside look at Schoen’s preparation for the offseason following the team’s 6-11 finish last year and quarterback Daniel Jones’ recovery from his ACL injury — there were also plenty of hints about the team’s decision to part ways with star forward Saquon Barkley.
Barkley, after he was not given a long-term extension by the Giants this offseason. Barkley played last season on the franchise tag, but the two sides could not agree on a deal to keep him in New York long-term. Barkley had 962 rushing yards and six touchdowns last season, sixth in the league.
The episode ended with the front office debating which direction to take the Giants’ offense, with Schoen wanting to protect Jones above all else and waiting for a cheaper running back to come along. How to end the Barkley era in New York, however, left the group at a standstill.
While we know the team ultimately signed Devin Singletary to a three-year, $16.5 million contract, the remainder of Hard Knocks’ summer season will undoubtedly be dominated by Barkley’s departure from the franchise.
