Is Saquon Barkley as irreplaceable to Giants’ offense as he appears?

Saquon BarkleySaquon Barkley is not worth a contract that guarantees more than $22 million.

Or at least, that’s what the cold, hard numbers say. Some would like to pretend that football is a sport played on paper, but there’s a lot more to it than that.

The New York Giants are engaged in contract talks with their captain and former top draft pick. GM Joe Schoen has indicated in both actions and words that he has a walk-away number. The question is where that number lies, whether Barkley will concur, and if John Mara will stand aside in negotiations with a team leader.

Still, at the core of these negotiations is the belief on Barkley’s part that he is an irreplaceable player for the Giants. But…