Giants, Saquon Barkley hit pause on contract talks

The Giants and Saquon Barkley were not able to reach an agreement on a new contract during the team’s bye week, and for now, all parties will focus on football.

The two sides are hitting pause on contract negotiations until after the season ends, according to ESPN, which reports the team and its star running back “did not come close” to striking a new deal.

The bye week marked the first time the Giants and Barkley discussed terms of a contract extension, per The Post’s Ryan Dunleavy. Barkley is in the final year of his rookie contract.

Barkley, 25, has enjoyed a renaissance season now two years removed from his season-ending torn ACL in 2020. The No. 2 overall pick from the 2018 draft has been the engine for the Giants’ offense during their surprising 6-2 start, entering Sunday’s game against the Texans with 779 yards rushing and five touchdowns, along with 28 catches for 189 yards.

Barkley recently told The Post’s Steve Serby that he “couldn’t see myself in another jersey,” adding that he’s going to “live in the moment and focus on day-to-day.”

Giants GM Joe Schoen made it clear that he wants Barkley in the fold long-term.

“Saquon is a culture guy that fits into everything we’ve asked,” Schoen previously said on WFAN. “He’s a captain and he’s a very good player at his position who’s having a very good season. So, he’s a guy obviously we’re going to do our due diligence on and we’d like to keep him around here, so we can get into contract extension talks.”