The New York Giants are hoping to get back on track in the 2024 season after backsliding in 2023 and failing to make the playoffs.
They had multiple problems on both sides of the ball, but it was their offense that truly failed them. The Giants were 6-11 last year and they scored just 266 points, that ranked 30th of the 32 teams in the league.
Much of the problem was due to injuries. Quarterback Daniel Jones suffered a torn ACL against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 9, and the Giants did not have the kind of talent to make up for the loss of their QB1.
They also had an issue with their star running back Saquon Barkley. He was among the most vocal at his position who have had problems with the way running backs are paid throughout the NFL. While quarterbacks, wide receivers and dominant pass rushers are paid relative Kings ransoms, the NFL rarely pays star running backs the huge dollars that other positions earn.
It was clear that Barkley was unhappy with his employer and the situation faced by running backs, and the Giants decided to let him leave through free agency in the offseason. In an effort to make up for his absence, the Giants signed former Houston Texan Devin Singletary to move into his role as the team's starting running back.
The Giants have added a player they think will be a dominant receiver in first-round draft choice Malik Nabers, but how long will it take for the Giants to build a cohesive offense? It can take a while for a team that has a quarterback returning from an injury, a rookie wide receiver and a new first-team running back to find its stride.
Singletary has big shoes to fill in Giants backfield
The Giants need a productive ground game if they are going to take pressure off of Jones as he returns from his ACL injury.
The Giants are expecting solid production from Singletary in his first year with the team. That seems fair, because he has been a decent back through his first five years in the league. However, he has not been a star or dominant to this point.
The 5-7, 203-pound back from Florida Atlantic spent his first four years with the Buffalo Bills and the 2023 season with the Texans. Consistency has been his hallmark as he has never rushed for less that 687 yards nor has he gained more than 898 yards on the ground.
He had his best season last year as he had a career-high 216 carries for 898 yards and 4 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 30 passes for 193 yards but he did not get into the end zone as a receiver.
The Giants should expect Singletary to gain between 700 and 850 yards, and the 216 carries he had last year is almost certainly his maximum. He does not have the size of some of the workhorse running backs around the league, and he could be at risk if he is asked to carry the ball as much as 20 times per game.
The Giants signed Singletary to a three-year, $16.5 million contract. He received a $3.75 million signing bonus and $9.5 million is guaranteed money.
Barkley was a dynamic part of the Giants offense
The Giants may feel a need to ask for more from Singletary than he is capable of giving them. That's because he is replacing one of the league's best running backs in Barkley.
The former Penn State All-American and the No. 2 pick overall in the 2018 draft by the Giants has 3 seasons to his credit in which he has rushed for 1,000 yards or more.
He had his best season in 2022 when he had 295 carries for 1,312 yards with 10 touchdowns and a 4.4 yards per carry average. He also caught 57 passes for 338 yards. Barkley followed that performance by rushing 247 times for 962 yards and 6 touchdowns last year. He also had 41 receptions for 280 yards and caught 4 TD passes.
Barkley was able to get a three-year, $37.5 million contract from the Eagles and he will be motivated to play his best football as he lines up with one of the best teams in the NFC. He should be at his best when the Eagles take on the Giants in Week 7 and in Week 18.
Pressure on Singletary will increase if Barkley has solid year
Realistically, New York head coach Brian Daboll should not be expecting Singletary to produce at the same level as Barkley. However, if Barkley is one of the three or four best running backs in the league, the heat will be on Singletary to give the Giants a similar ground game.
That does not seem likely. Singletary can be a productive piece of the offense, but the Giants must have a healthy Jones in the line up and the passing game must be quite a bit better than it was in the past.
There are several key questions concerning the Giants offense, and that may make the addition of Singletary as their primary running back a very risky maneuver.
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