Saquon Barkley

New York Giants: Saquon Barkley puts elite speed on display (Video)

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New York Giants, Saquon Barkley

New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley puts his speed on display during OTAs.

After an electrifying rookie performance by New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley in 2018, the upcoming season only presents more optimism for the dual-threat player.

Barkley is not only devastating from out of the backfield, but he’s also a stellar receiver and blocker. His abilities have a wide range and his impact is obvious when on the field. He showed his elite speed once again on a short pass over the middle during OTA practices on Wednesday.

Check out the clip below:

Watch as Barkley completely smokes the mid-level defenders and puts Jabrill Peppers in overdrive trying to catch up to him. Remember, Peppers is one of the fastest defenders on the team and most athletic – he’s nearly left in Barkley’s dust but thankfully the sideline saves him.

Last season, Saquon averaged 7.9 yards per reception and 5.7 catches per game. In comparison, Ezekiel Elliott averaged 7.4 yards per reception. I imagine Barkley’s statistics will increase even more with the rebuilding of the offensive line.

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General manager Dave Gettleman made it a priority to build out the offensive front with the signing of Nate Solder, drafting of Will Hernandez, trading for Kevin Zeitler, and signing of Mike Remmers. I left Jon Halapio out as Spencer Pulley could win the job over the former practice squad member.

There’s no doubt the line look more put together on paper at this point, and adding top talent will surely help the overall efficiency of the unit. Barkley will be a clear benefactor of the trenches being solidified. If you recall, the claiming of Jamon Brown influenced the offense significantly – he played far better than Patrick Omameh and it showed in Eli Manning and Barkley’s performances.

 

 

New York Giants: Top News 5/30 – Saquon Barkley has lightning speed

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New York Giants running back, Saquon Barkley.

Good morning, New York Giants fans!

Want to know what’s faster than a cheetah? Saquon Barkley. Want to know what’s faster than Saquon Barkley? Light. The first human to break the sound barrier individually and murder tacklers in the process. Seriously, Barkley is a demi-god that we are lucky to have on a team that just ridded themselves of Odell Beckham Jr.

Just one year ago, the Giants had two generational talents, now they’re down to one. The difference? The one remaining is a gem in the media and presents a positive image for the organization. In 2018, Barkley, the player of notice, joined an elite group of running backs to break 2,000 all-purpose yards in their rookie season.

With an upgraded offensive line, Barkley has the potential to be even more effective and efficient. He will enjoy better blocking up front and a betting version of Eli Manning, which will make the play-action more dangerous and keep defenders on their toes.

Let’s get this straight, the Giants’ offense has the ability to be fantastic, it all depends on Manning and if he can utilize the receivers he has on the field. Adding Golden Tate and extending Sterling Shepard should provide him with ample weaponry. Shep has had a fantastic OTA period so far, catching everything that comes his way. I’m extremely excited to see what this offense can do in the coming months.

Nonetheless–

Giants top articles of the day:

John Schmeelk (Giants.com) – Sideline Notes: Giants OTA No. 5

Dan Schneier (247Sports) – Predicting playing time for each New York Giants rookie in 2019

John Fennelly (Giants Wire) – Giants enjoying no-nonsense OTAs for first time in years

Dan Benton (Giants Wire) – Oshane Ximines named Giants’ most dangerous new weapon

Alexander Wilson (Empire Sports Media) – New York Giants: Daniel Jones has one goal in his rookie season

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New York Giants: Saquon Barkley Talks Improvements On Offense

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New York Giants, Odell Beckham Jr., Saquon Barkley

The offense is just as big of a question mark for the New York Giants this year as the revised secondary. With no Odell Beckham Jr. and the addition of new offensive line players and receiver Golden Tate, things are going to be different this year. The big question is whether they’ll be different for the better, or for worse. One of the biggest parts in the Giants performing well will of course be running back Saquon Barkley, who spoke after Tuesday’s OTAs about the current state of the offense.

“Last year, we played at a high level, definitely in that second half. Now, no one is new to it. Aside from the rookies, for myself, Eli, Shep and Evan, all those guys, no one is new to it. We had a whole year of it last year and now we get a jumpstart. I feel like I am seeing the field a lot better and understanding the offense. I think we have a lot of talent and we showed flashes of it last year,” Barkley said about the offense. “When the opportunity comes, we are going to be ready.”

Sterling Shepard will have his largest role yet after a four touchdown season last year where he broke his career record in yards. Shepard still hasn’t broken 1,000 yards however and that will be a goal as he takes over the number one role vacated by Odell Beckham Jr. Evan Engram, who was also mentioned by Barkley, had half as many touchdowns as he did in his rookie year and will be looking to bounce back after struggling with injuries and low usage for many parts of last season.

“I don’t think any number is too high for me personally. At the end of the day, I know I sound like a broken record, but you will hear this for as long as I am in the NFL, as long as I take care of my body, my body will take care of me,” Barkley also said about his potential workload this year, despite Pat Shurmur claiming earlier that the team wants to spread the ball around more.

“I will continue to have my team around me. Obviously, have a great strength staff here and a great training staff here. Have to be a pro outside the facility. Whether it is 350 touches, 400 touches or less touches next year. Whatever I have to do to have this team compete for a championship, I am going to do.”

Barkley was already the second leading rusher in the league last season so it will be hard for him to top his performances from last year. However, if Barkley doesn’t top his numbers, it clearly won’t be for lack of effort.

New York Giants: Shurmur Noncommittal On Saquon Barkley’s Role

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New York Giants running back, Saquon Barkley.

Saquon Barkley doesn’t even have two seasons in the league yet, but the running back might be the best player on the roster for the New York Giants. During a season when just about everyone seemed to be in a slump, from the defense to the offensive line to Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Jr., Barkley was one of the bright spots and one of the reasons to keep watching with interest every week even as the Giants’ record continued to grow worse during much of the season.

Going into his second year, it looks like Barkley will have to take the lead if the team is going to have more success than they did over the past two seasons.

Beckham is gone and the team’s receiving corps is for the most part unproven, with Sterling Shepard taking a larger role than before and Golden Tate arriving as a first year free agent signing. It remains to be seen how those receivers will mesh on the field, and going into the season, Barkley is the one consistent star that the team has on offense.

So it only makes sense that Barkley might end up with a larger role in 2019. According to head coach Pat Shurmur, however, that’s still not decided. When asked about Barkley getting a large role, Shurmur didn’t lean too much one way or the other in his answer.

“I don’t know about more. He had a big load a year ago. It makes sense for us to hand him the ball, and we can throw it to him as well. He will be involved, for sure…. I wouldn’t say manage [Barkley’s load], but we will try and spread the ball. We have other good players that should touch the ball as well,” Shurmur said.

Those other players include Shepard, Tate, tight end Evan Engram, and others such as Cody Latimer, but with the Giants likely changing their schemes up with the departure of Beckham, it’s not a certainty that those players will have a bounce back season from last year, where the offense wasn’t enough to win in many games.

As the second leading rusher in the NFL during his rookie season, it will be hard for Barkley to top his numbers, but that’s quite in the realm of possibility both because the Giants have made moves to improve his blocking and because a larger role isn’t out of the question, with Barkley being one of the top performers on the revamped offense. We’ll just have to see during the season whether or not this unique set of circumstances leads to Barkley finding himself with a larger role.

New York Giants: How Does The New Offense Compare To The Rest Of The Division

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New York Giants, Sterling Shepard, Saquon Barkley

The New York Giants have come in dead last in their division in each of the last two seasons. They have become the least threatening team in the NFC East and have not won the division since 2011.

The rest of the teams in the NFC East have been accumulating young talent for years. The Cowboys have made the playoffs and won the division in two of the last three seasons. Their young core of Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliot make them an annual playoff contender.

The Eagles have also been far more successful than the Giants recently. It is painful to say or think about this, but the Eagles won the Super Bowl in 2017 and made the playoffs again in 2018.

The Redskins have placed 3rd in the division for three straight years. But even they have won the division more recently than in 2011. They have won it twice since then (2012 and 2015).

Our beloved New York Giants have fallen behind in recent years and it is time for them to get back on track. The Giants made moves to improve their offense in 2019. Let’s see how their new offense compares to the rest of the division:

Offensive Lines:

The Giants’ offensive line has been bad for years. The Giants finally got rid of Ereck Flowers in 2018, but the unit still struggled as a whole, despite bringing in veteran left tackle Nate Solder.

The other three teams in the division all have above-average or excellent offensive lines (when completely healthy). The Dallas Cowboys had two Pro Bowlers on their offensive line in 2018 with left tackle Tyron Smith and right guard Zack Martin. Left tackle Trent Williams of the Washington Redskins also made the Pro Bowl in 2018. The Eagles also had a Pro Bowler in right guard Brandon Brooks. The Giants are the only team in the division to not have a Pro Bowler on their offensive line.

The Giants are trying to buck that trend. In 2018, they drafted left guard Will Hernandez in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Hernandez showed lots of promise in his rookie year and looks like he can be a Pro Bowl-caliber player in the future.

In the 2019 offseason, the Giants acquired a talented offensive guard via trade with the Cleveland Browns. Kevin Zeitler is one of the NFL’s best pass-blocking guards, allowing only 11 total pressures in 2018.

The Giants’ offensive line is the worst in the division. However, it has the potential to improve mightily in 2019 with the addition of Zeitler, Hernandez progressing in his second year, and center Jon Halapio returning from injury.

Running Backs:

Fortunately, the Giants still have the best running back in the division, though it is a close race. Saquon Barkley racked up more total yards from scrimmage in 2018 (2,028 yards) than any other running back. But Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliot was not far behind with 2,001 yards and he also lead the NFL in rushing yards with 1,434 yards.

The Eagles also have a solid group in the backfield. They traded for former Bears running back Jordan Howard this offseason and also drafted Miles Sanders out of Penn State. Howard has racked up 3,370 rushing yards and 24 rushing touchdowns over the past 3 seasons. In 2018, Sanders ran for 1,274 yards and 9 touchdowns at Penn State.

Technically, the Washington Redskins have the “best” running back on their roster, but that is if you are going off of total careers. Barkley, Elliot, and Howard are all young, promising players. But Washington Redskskins running back Adrian Peterson is one of the best running backs of all time.

Peterson is 33 years old now and is well past his prime. However, he was still solid for the Redskins in 2018 with 1,042 rushing yards and 7 rushing touchdowns. The Redskins also have a young, unproven back named Derrius Guice. Guice was electric in college at LSU with 2,638 rushing yards and 26 rushing touchdowns in his final two collegiate seasons. Guice tore his ACL in the 2018 preseason but will look to prove himself as a quality NFL running back in 2019.

The Giants have the best running back in the division and even in the NFL. Saquon Barkley will only get better in 2019. However, the team would be wise to add some more talent behind Saquon to keep him from wearing and tearing.

Receivers And Tight Ends:

The Giants easily had the best receiver in the division over the last 5 years. That changed in the 2019 offseason when the Giants traded away Odell Beckham Jr.

Now the Giants are left with pass-catchers like Sterling Shepard, the newly acquired Golden Tate, and Evan Engram. Still a solid group despite losing their best player.

No one on the Giants’ roster was a 1,000-yard receiver in 2018. Shepard, Tate, and Engram all have the potential to be 1,000-yard receivers in 2019, but there is also a good chance none of them eclipse 1,000 yards, too.

The Eagles have one of the best tight ends in the NFL with Zach Ertz. Ertz had the third most receiving yards out of all tight ends last season with 1,113. He is their best skill player on offense and will remain a consistent player for Philadelphia in 2019.

The Dallas Cowboys struggled to find a receiving threat, post-Dez Bryant until they traded for former Raiders wide receiver Amari Cooper in 2019. In only 9 games with the Cowboys, Cooper totaled 725 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns. The Cowboys could use some help at tight end, but Cooper is the best receiver in the division now that Odell is in the AFC North.

The Washington Redskins seriously lack playmakers on the outside. Their leading receiver in 2018 was tight end Jordan Reed with only 558 receiving yards. The Redskins did draft a couple of receivers in 2019 with Kelvin Harmon and Terry McLaurin, but it is hard to imagine these two players will make such a vast improvement to the Redskins’ receiving corps in 2019.

The Giants might not have the best receiver or tight end in the division, but they could have arguably the best group of these positions in the division. If Engram, Shepard, and Tate all reach their full potential in 2019, the Giants’ offense could be electric.

Quarterbacks:

Every team in the division has a young, franchise of future franchise quarterback on the roster. The Giants and Redskins were the last teams to acquire theirs but finally did so in the 2019 NFL Draft.

The Cowboys and Eagles have their franchise quarterback starting and winning games for them, but the Redskins and Giants have not seen their young signal-callers in action yet. It is too soon to tell who has the best young quarterback in the division, but right now Carson Wentz is the best quarterback in the division.

Carson Wentz had an MVP-caliber season prior to injuring his knee in 2017. In the 13 games he played in 2017, Wentz threw for 3,296 and 33 touchdowns. This lead the Eagles to an 11-2 record. Carson made the Pro Bowl in 2017 but suffered another injury in 2018. If he can stay healthy, he is the best quarterback in the division.

The other young quarterback in action is the Cowboys’ Dak Prescott. Prescott has lead Dallas to the playoffs twice in three years and has thrown for 3,000 yards and 22 or 23 touchdown passes in all three of his seasons in the NFL. He has been to the Pro Bowl twice and is set to receive a big contract extension from Dallas soon.

The Redskins had a problem at the quarterback position but found their answer in the Draft. Their quarterback, Alex Smith, suffered a gruesome leg injury in 2018 that will probably keep him sidelined for all of 2019. So the Redskins drafted Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins in 2019. Haskins threw 4,831 passing yards and 50 touchdown passes in 2018 at Ohio State. It will be interesting to see if he can maintain a high production level in the NFL.

While the rest of the division will all be starting quarterbacks age 27 or younger in 2019, the Giants will be kicking off the season with 38-year-old Eli Manning at the helm. Manning has been underperforming for the past two seasons, failing to top 21 touchdown passes. Regardless, the Giants are committed to him as their starter in 2019. However, if Eli struggles, it could mean the Giants will move on from him as soon as possible.

The Redskins were not the only team to address the quarterback position in the 2019 NFL Draft. The Giants made the controversial decision to draft Duke quarterback Daniel Jones with the 6th overall pick in the draft. It can be debated whether or not Jones was worthy of that high selection, never topping 22 touchdown passes in 3 years as a collegiate starter. The Giants will be hoping that Jones proves any doubters wrong when he gets his chance.

The Giants’ quarterback position is probably the worst in the division. Their young soon-to-be franchise guy is far from a can’t-miss-prospect, and their current starter is a legend well past his prime. Giants fans need to hope and pray that Daniel Jones shocks the world and proves all his doubters wrong in the future.

New York Giants: What Is The Plan?

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New York Giants. Dave Gettleman, Pat Shurmur

The New York Giants have had one of the craziest offseasons in franchise history. From seeing a star player walk away in free agency to trading away your best player, then eventually disappointing the fanbase during the NFL Draft, it has been one bewildering move after the other for the Giants this offseason.

This leaves fans and analysts dying to know one thing: what is the New York Giants’ plan? On one hand, they seem to be building around Eli Manning and gearing up for another Super Bowl run.

On the other hand, the Giants look ready to move on from Manning and begin a new era. However, there are so many mixed signals. It is hard to decipher what the Giants are truly trying to do.

However, I think I have figured out what the Giants’ plan is (to some extent). Now, I will try to break that plan down.

Restore The Culture

General manager Dave Gettleman has made one thing clear about the new Giants team he is building: culture is key. In 2017, the Giants’ head coach Ben McAdoo completely lost the locker room. The Giants were experiencing major issues with the locker room’s culture. It was around this time that Landon Collins called Eli Apple a “cancer.”

Dave Gettleman has made it a point to clear the locker room of any “cancers” and establish the right culture in the Giants’ locker room. Gettleman has made it clear he does not like when players criticize their teammates in the public media. Landon Collins is no longer with the team and neither is Odell Beckham Jr. after his doozy of an ESPN interview with Lil Wayne.

Dave Gettleman has replaced any locker room problems with new, classy young men and excellent football players. Say what you want about Daniel Jones, but the kid is a leader. He is a good young man off the field that will always represent the New York Giants the best he can.

The same can be said about superstar running back Saquon Barkley. Saquon is a true leader on and off the field. He has been seen coaching up his teammates on Sundays and doing charitable acts in the offseason. Most recently, Saquon Barkley made one fan’s wish come true:

The Giants are in the middle of a rebuild. Gettleman’s first step towards rebuilding is to restore the culture. He has lost some talented players in the process, but by the end of the rebuild, the Giants will hopefully have filled the locker room with high-character, but also elite-talented people and football players.

Model The Quarterback Position After Past Champions (Not Future)

The Giants are clearly not interested in building their team the way the rest of the NFL is. The rest of the NFL is trying to think outside of the box and get one step ahead. It is a copycat league, and the Giants are one of few teams refusing to copycat the new wave.

Instead, the Giants are trying to copycat something else. Something reminiscent of the 1980s. The Giants are not interested in having a strong-arm quarterback who throws off platform 80 yards and makes plays outside of the pocket (such as Patrick Mahomes).

The Giants are interested in having a tall quarterback stand in the pocket, go through his progressions, and make the right read. On top of that, they do not want a social media personality as their signal-caller. They want a quiet, reserved, and humble quarterback to fiend off the New York media. This is why the Giants went with Daniel Jones over the likes of Drew Lock and Dwayne Haskins.

All of the previous NFL Super Bowl champions feature quarterbacks more similar to Daniel Jones than to Kyler Murray or even Patrick Mahomes. Murray and Mahomes have incredible potential and are examples of the league’s evolution towards a more collegiate style of play. The Giants have no interest in this.

The Giants want to replicate the past champions. Tom Brady, the greatest quarterback of all time, stands tall in the pocket, goes through his progressions, and makes the right read. Eli Manning has done that his entire career. Each of the past Super Bowl winners has had a playstyle similar to the pocket-passing, make-the-right-decision playstyle that Daniel Jones possesses.

Let’s look at the last 10 Super Bowl champion quarterbacks: Tom Brady, Nick Foles, Peyton Manning, Russell Wilson, Joe Flacco, Eli Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, and Ben Roethlisberger. Only two of these quarterbacks (Wilson and Rodgers) have ever rushed for 250+ yards in a season.

Besides Wilson and Rodgers, this list compiles some of the best pocket-passing quarterbacks over the past decade. None of these guys (besides Wilson and Rodgers, again) are known for making plays out of the pocket. Daniel Jones, like seven of the last eight Super Bowl champion quarterbacks, is a pocket-passing quarterback whose game emphasizes reading the defense and making the right decisions.

Model The Rest Of The Team After Past Champions

The 2018 New England Patriots were not a team with an impressive pass-rush. Instead, the Patriots had an exceptional secondary and a defensive scheme that generated the defense’s pressure. This is what the Giants’ defense is being molded into.

The Giants seemed to fully commit to this defensive gameplan in the 2019 NFL Draft. The Giants drafted three cornerbacks in their ten draft picks.

Defensive coordinator James Bettcher has an aggressive scheme that aims to generate pressure in unique ways through the scheme, rather than through the players. This all ties into the Giants’ desire to model the team after past champions, especially the 2018 Patriots.

This modeling can be found on the offensive side of the ball too. The Giants have fully committed to a run-first offense lead by Saquon Barkley. Countless Super Bowl teams were lead by a strong running attack and a quarterback who makes plays when he needs to. A great example is, again, the 2018 Patriots.

Tom Brady threw for 262 yards and 1 interception with 0 touchdowns in Super Bowl LIII. Meanwhile, the Patriots picked up 154 yards on the ground, led by rookie running back Sony Michel who had 94 rushing yards and a touchdown. The Giants seem fixated on replicating this kind of success.

The Giants want the offense to run through Saquon, with Daniel Jones being the complimentary piece. It is the opposite for many teams across the league, but the Giants are all in on this old-school approach.

It is also worth noting how similar the Giants’ receiving corps is to the 2018 Patriots. The Pats have not had a superstar receiver since Randy Moss. The Giants just traded away their superstar receiver. The Patriots win Super Bowl after Super Bowl by running with short, quick, slot receivers all over the field. The Giants are looking to do the same.

Golden Tate and Sterling Shepard will play in the Giants’ offense similar to how Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola played in the Patriots’ offense for all those years. Dependable, slot receivers are the key to New England’s offensive success and they will be the key to New York’s success soon too.

Another interesting note is the Patriots’ and Giants’ collective commitment to the tight end position. Trading away Odell Beckham Jr. was definitely a move influenced by Evan Engram’s increased effectiveness with Odell off the field.

Engram will breakout with more targets in 2019. Like Rob Gronkowski was with the Patriots, Evan Engram will be the Giants’ biggest matchup advantage and receiving weapon.

The Giants are looking to replicate the Patriots’ offensive and defensive schemes. Let’s all hope they are able to replicate New England’s success, too.

New York Giants: Dave Gettleman’s Future Depends On The 2019 NFL Draft

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New York Giants, Dave Gettleman

The 2019 NFL Draft begins this Thursday, April 25. The New York Giants hold the 6th overall pick and the 17th overall pick in the 1st round of the draft. This draft will be crucial for the Giants’ future.

The Giants passed on a quarterback last year. With the 2nd overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Giants drafted running back Saquon Barkley. Barkley went on to win Offensive Rookie of the Year, however, the Giants have been continuously scrutinized for passing up on a quarterback.

The Giants’ current quarterback, Eli Manning, is 38 years old and well past his prime. The Giants need to find Manning successor as soon as possible in order to be prepared for Manning’s inevitable departure.

For this and many other reasons, the 2019 NFL Draft is crucial for the Giants’ future success. General Manager Dave Gettleman is fully aware of this. Gettleman needs to crush the 2019 NFL Draft in order to secure his future in New York.

Dave Gettleman’s Controversial 2019 Offseason

Dave Gettleman has gotten away with a lot this offseason. He has made multiple moves that have been heavily scrutinized from fans and experts alike. Moves such as trading Odell Beckham Jr. and refusing to franchise tag Landon Collins have brought a lot of controversy to the Giants.

Dave Gettleman needs to make these moves look reasonable with a strong draft in 2019. Collins and Beckham were two young, talented players who made a great impact during their time in New York. Getting rid of these players leaves big shoes to fill on the Giants’ roster, and Dave Gettleman needs to fill those shoes.

If Dave Gettleman does not find solid replacements for Odell and Landon (whether at their positions or elsewhere), he will look like a fool for letting them go. Big losses need to be replaced with big wins. If Dave Gettleman can somehow bring in two superstar players from this year’s draft class, then his past decisions will not look as bad.

One of those two superstar players will need to be on defense. The Giants have holes all over their defense and are in need of an impact player. With the 6th pick, the Giants could look to draft players such as Quinnen Williams, Ed Oliver, Devin White, or Josh Allen. The other superstar player will need to be a quarterback.

The Giants’ Future At Quarterback

General manager Dave Gettleman has been open about his interest in drafting a quarterback. The question is, which quarterback piques Gettleman’s interest? Whatever answer to that question Gettleman comes up with will define his future success with the Giants.

Dave Gettleman has a lot of options at the quarterback position in the 2019 NFL Draft. Kyler Murray is likely to be the 1st overall pick, so the Giants will not have a chance to get him. However, quarterbacks such as Dwayne Haskins, Drew Lock, and Daniel Jones will all be in consideration for the Giants in the 1st round.

If Gettleman drafts a bust at the most important position in the NFL, it will be difficult for the Giants to keep him on the payroll. There is no position more important than the quarterback position, which is why Gettleman needs to make sure he gets the right guy at that position.

Whoever Gettleman drafts at the quarterback position will be expected to start for the Giants for the next 10-15 years. Anything less than a 10-year starter is a disappointment and a failure of a draft pick. The Giants cannot keep a general manager who disappoints and fails at his job.

If Dave Gettleman gets the right man for the quarterback job, he will be admired as a successful manager who set his team up to win for the next decade. That will warrant trusting in Gettleman for the future.

New York Giants: Why Dave Gettleman Is Going To Crush The 2019 NFL Draft

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New York Giants, Dave Gettleman

The 2019 NFL Draft is less than one week away. On Thursday, April 25, the New York Giants will be on the clock with the 6th pick in the draft. But their Thursday night will not end there. The Giants also hold the 17th overall pick in the draft.

Many fans are skeptical of Dave Gettleman and his ability to evaluate talent. Gettleman’s main critique is that he does not understand or emphasize positional value. Despite this, there are reasons to believe Dave Gettleman will crush the 2019 NFL Draft.

Gettleman Crushed The 2018 NFL Draft

In 2018, the Giants fired their former general manager Jerry Reese. This was a long-time coming. Many fans were anticipating this moment. Reese’s biggest problem was his inability to draft starting players. So when the Giants fired Jerry Reese, fans were happy.

That was until Dave Gettleman came along. He was not exactly the fan’s choice, but he was the owner’s choice, so here we are one year later praying that they made the right choice.

Dave Gettleman and the Giants had a rocky 2018. They finished a disappointing 5-11 and traded away multiple key players. But with the downside came some strong upside, too.

The Giants had an incredible 2018 NFL Draft. Their 2018 draft class produced three instant starters with the potential for at least one more starter down the road. Gettleman managed this with only 6 total draft picks. Their first selection, Saquon Barkley, won AP Offensive Rookie Of The Year and looks to already be one of the best players in the NFL.

Fans were skeptical of Dave Gettleman prior to the 2018 NFL Draft, but he delivered. Giants fans should be confident that Dave Gettleman will deliver again in the 2019 NFL Draft.

No One Knows The Giants’ Plans

A lot of talk in the media surrounding the Giants has been about Dave Gettleman’s “plans.” No one has any clue what his plan is. Sometimes this can be greatly frustrating and detrimental to the team and fanbase. However, with the NFL Draft, this is a strong positive to pull away from Gettleman.

Over the past week, every single day, a new rumor pops up regarding the Giants’ draft plans. Each new report contradicts the last report. The Giants have done more homework on quarterbacks than any other NFL team, but no one actually knows who their favorite quarterback prospect is.

According to Matt Miller, their favorite quarterback is Dwayne Haskins. According to Charles Robinson, it is Daniel Jones. According to Adam Schefter, it is Josh Rosen. According to Jordan Raanan, it is Drew Lock. And finally, according to Ian Rappoport, it is between Haskins and Jones. No one knows the Giants’ plans and this is exactly the way it should be.

Last year at this time, everyone knew what the Giants were going to do in the draft. We all knew they would draft Saquon Barkley with the 2nd overall pick and we all knew they would go offensive lineman in round 2. This year, we have no clue what they are going to do.

This means that no other team in the NFL knows what the Giants will do either. The Giants are a complete wildcard in this year’s draft. They could go so many different ways with their picks because they have so many of them. The Giants have all of the leverage in the world with teams looking to trade picks or players.

Last year, the Giants had no leverage because everyone knew who they wanted. This year, the Giants could take advantage of other teams. And, most importantly, no one knows who the Giants want, so they will not be desperately trying to trade up ahead of the Giants and take their guy.

New York Giants: Why The Giants’ Offense Will Improve In 2019

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New York Giants, Sterling Shepard, Saquon Barkley

The New York Giants went a pitiful 5-11 in the 2018 NFL season. They started the season 1-7 but had a decent second half of the year. This was because of the offensive improvement.

The Giants’ offense showed signs off life in the second half of the 2018 season, scoring 20+ points in seven of their final eight games, including three games with 30+ points and one game with 40 points. It finally looked like the Giants had a good thing going and were going to build on this offensive success this offseason.

That was until the Giants traded away their best offensive player. Superstar wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was traded to the Cleveland Browns, causing many fans to lose hope in the Giants and predict that the offense will be abysmal in 2019.

However, there are reasons to believe that this is not true. The Giants’ offense will not be worse in 2019. In fact, the Giants’ offense will improve in 2019.

Saquon Barkley Unleashed

Saquon Barkley had an absolutely spectacular rookie season in 2018. The rookie running back ran for 1,307 yards and 11 touchdowns en route to winning AP Offensive Rookie of the Year. On top of that, Barkley was a force as a receiver, too. Saquon caught 91 passes for 721 yards and 4 touchdowns. That is a total of 2,028 yards from scrimmage. He is only the third rookie running back in history to accomplish this feat.

Saquon accomplished all of this despite being held back in the first half of the season. In the first half of the season, Saquon averaged 13.85 rushing attempts per game. The Giants increased his workload in the second half of the season with 18.75 rushing attempts per game. It is no coincidence that once Saquon’s touches increased, the Giants’ offense improved.

In 2019, the Giants will not wait until the second half of the season to unleash Saquon Barkley. He is the real deal. Saquon is arguably the best running back in the NFL and the Giants are well aware of that. Trading away Odell Beckham Jr. proved that the Giants plan on running the offense through Saquon from now on. The offense will improve by leaning on a run-first attack lead by Saquon Barkley.

Evan Engram Can Finally Reach His Full Potential

Evan Engram is one of the most versatile tight ends in the NFL. His rare combination of size and speed allow him to be a matchup nightmare. Engram was impressive in his rookie season and flashed his potential in his sophomore season, too. However, Engram needs to remain healthy and improve his consistency in order to take his game to the next level.

With Odell Beckham Jr. no longer on the field, stats seem to indicate Evan Engram will be a much-improved player. In the past two seasons, Odell missed 16 games. In those 16 games, Evan Engram was a whole nother player.

When Odell was on the field in 2018, Evan averaged only 36.7 receiving yards per game. Without Beckham on the field, Engram averaged 80 receiving yards per game. Expect to see Evan Engram flourish with an expanded role in 2019.

BREAKING: New York Giants Extend Wide Receiver Sterling Shepard

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New York Giants, Sterling Shepard

The New York Giants have secured one of their best young players for the future. Wide receiver Sterling Shepard has signed a 4 year, $41 million extension with the Giants. The deal features $21.3 million in guaranteed money.

Sterling Shepard was drafted by the Giants in the 2nd round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He has been a dependable slot receiver for the Giants. In 2018, Shepard played all 16 games and totaled 872 receiving yards and 4 receiving touchdowns on 66 catches.

The Giants are committing to Shepard as their primary receiver for the next 4 years. Over the past 3 seasons, Shepard has had multiple games where he played as the primary receiver, filling in for Odell Beckham Jr. whenever he was injured. Sterling proved he can play outside, as well as his usual slot position.

This signing solidifies the Giants’ receiving corps for the next 4 years. Last month, the Giants signed veteran receiver Golden Tate to a 4-year deal. Shepard and Tate will lead the Giants’ receiving attack for the foreseeable future.

The Giants’ offense looks to be deadly in 2019. Shepard and Tate will make a fearsome receiving duo, but the offense’s main superstar, Saquon Barkley, will look to improve on his incredible 2018 rookie season. Shepard and Barkley are close friends, so Gettleman has definitely made his best player happy with today’s signing.

Now that Dave Gettleman has decided to commit to some in-house talent, the question is, who is next? Will other young stars, such as Evan Engram, receive an extension too? The signing of Sterling Shepard gives Giants fans a reason to be even more excited for their future.