Wayne Gallman

New York Giants News, 9/26 – Saquon Barkley’s replacement is a familiar face

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New York Giants, Wayne Gallman

Good Morning, New York Giants Fans!

The New York Giants brought in several options as potential replacements for Saquon Barkley after his suffering of a high ankle sprain. The star running back will likely miss a minimum of six weeks while he rehabs and recovers from an injury that could linger until the end of the season.

The Giants brought in Fozzy Whitaker, Bennie Cunningham, and Zach Zenner for workouts earlier this week but decided not to sign any of them. Alternatively, Big Blue will stick with a familiar face in Wayne Gallman as their number one running back.

Gallman showed promise as a rookie in 2017, rushing 111 times for 476 yards. He averaged 4.3 yards per carry and also contributed 193 receiving yards and a touchdown. He is a reliable option in the meantime while Barkley heals, considering his familiarity with the offense and capabilities between the tackles.

We should be confident in Gallman and his abilities moving forward. While the Giants will likely stick with the third-year back against the Washington Redskins in week four of the regular season, head coach Pat Shurmur did not rule out the signing of a potential long-term option. They did, however, elevate Jon Hilliman from the practice squad to offer support.

Options such as Jay Ajayi, CJ Anderson, and Orleans Darkwa remain available in case the Giants elect to take a different route at the position.

Nonetheless–

Your top news of the day:

Paul Schwartz – Everything has changed for the Giants except Daniel Jones

Ed Valentine – Giants’ RB Wayne Gallman has been “preparing for three years” for his chance

Ryan Dunleavy – Giants’ Daniel Jones’ priceless reaction to instant fame — and the 1 exception he made

Charles Vitolo – New York Giants: Markus Golden revitalizing career

Anthony Rivardo – Why The New York Giants Should Not Involve Themselves In Big Name Trade Talks

Wayne Gallman The Man For New York Giants Without Barkley

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The New York Giants will have to weather the next weeks without their best player. Ever since Saquon Barkley was helped off the field against Tampa with a high ankle sprain, there’s been talk of how the team is going to step up – obviously, it helps that rookie quarterback Daniel Jones has had a quick rise, but the team still needs a running game. They can’t rely on Jones to do all the work, and there’s been a lot of speculation about the Giants signing another running back like Jay Ajayi to fill in for Barkley.

However, the team seems to prefer going with an in house option, and all signs point to the team leaning heavily on Wayne Gallman in the running game. Gallman, a third year player, suffered a decline in use during his second season – which happened to be Barkley’s first season in the league. But with Barkley out of the picture until midseason, Gallman has a chance to prove himself as more than just an afterthought.

“We put Wayne Gallman in there, then we get ready to go and get the offense ready to play. That’s the reality in this league. It’s not cliché, it’s not coach speak. But it really is next man up. You don’t cancel the games because one of your guys is not there,” head coach Pat Shurmur said on Wednesday about the team’s preparation leading up to the next game, against the Washington Redskins.

“He’s kind of a twitchy guy. He does a good job of getting it up in the hole. He has good collision balance. He’s improved catching the football. He’s pretty good with our pass protection. He’s a good all-around player, and he’s going to be asked to do more,” Shurmur said further about Gallman.

Gallman had 176 yards and a rushing touchdown last season but already has a chance to surpass that, coming into this game with one touchdown in 2019 already. This will, however, be the most high pressure stretch of Gallman’s career. Barkley isn’t just out for one game but a number of weeks, after all. How the former backup responds in this situation may just decide whether or not Gallman is the long term answer for the time that Barkley is injured.

New York Giants: 3 veteran running backs the Giants could sign

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New York Giants, Saquon Barkley

With the New York Giants losing Saquon Barkley for at least the next six weeks, they will have to find a capable replacement to supplement his loss. Barkley was averaging 6.4 yards per attempt before going down with a high ankle sprain.

The one glimpse of optimism is that Barkley returned from a high ankle sprain at Penn State in two weeks several years ago. While the Giants will likely take precaution and not risk his health any further, we should expect to see him sit for quite a while. This is ultimately the right thing to do, as compromising his future health is not worth the risk, especially in the second year of a rebuild with a rookie quarterback.

However, the Giants do you need to find somebody to replace him. Number two running back Wayne Gallman is a capable runner but is not starting material.

Here are three runningbacks the New York Giants could sign:

1.) CJ Anderson

Anderson is a five year veteran with one Pro Bowl and one Super Bowl championship under his belt. In 2018, he averaged 6.0 yards per carry with the Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Rams. In two games with the Detroit Lions this season, he is rushed 16 times for 43 yards.

Anderson is a powerful runner they can also block well at the line of scrimmage. The Giants would be smart to kick the tires on CJ and see if he has any value left in his legs. At the very least, Anderson brings veteran leadership and experience to a young Giants team. He could be a trustworthy security blanket for Daniel Jones in the passing game as well.

2.) Orleans Darkwa

Darkwa is no stranger to the New York Giants, having played with them from 2014-2017. In his latest outing with New York, he averaged 4.4 yards per carry and five scores in 15 games. He was a big part of the lousy 2017 season, despite it not being his fault.

Darkwa is a keen runner that can break tackles well; he’s also a capable blocker. He’s not going to light up any games and create magical moments like Saquon Barkley has in just one year, but he can fill the gap while the Giants star running back recovers from his ankle injury. He would be an excellent complement to Wayne Gallman.

3.) Jay Ajayi

Jay Ajayi is another option that has one Super Bowl and one Pro Bowl appearance under his belt. In 2018, he averaged 4.1 yards per carry and recorded three touchdowns before going down with a significant injury. He did not stick with a team this season but offers value in the running game if given the opportunity. He is a capable player that average 5.8 yards per carry with Philadelphia in their Super Bowl-winning season.

While taking a chance on him is a risk considering his injury concerns, he has proven in the past that he is capable of carrying the load. Ajayi might be a cheaper option than CJ Anderson.

Standing at six-feet-tall and weighing 228 pounds, Jay has powerful strides and is dangerous in the open field. I wouldn’t expect him to be the same runner he was in 2017 before his injury, but it can’t hurt to work him out in the coming days.

New York Giants News, 9/23 – Giants get awful Saquon Barkley injury news

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New York Giants, Saquon Barkley

Good Morning, New York Giants Fans!

The New York Giants might have beaten the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 32-31 in week 3, but they lost their best player in Saquon Barkley for an extended amount of time.

Barkley was forced out with a high ankle sprain that left him sprawled on the ground in pain. He immediately went to the locker room for further tests which confirmed the strain. The initial diagnosis was that he did not suffer a break, but he will likely miss at least six weeks until he can make a return.

In the meantime, Wayne Gallman will be the Giants’ starting running back, a reliable option who can block well-enough to give Daniel Jones time in the pocket. Gallman doesn’t have the lateral quickness that Barkley brings to the offense, but he’s a confident runner that can pick up extra yards.

Losing Barkley is a massive blow for the Giants and will force them to game-plan around his absence. With the lack of quality defense, a lot of pressure will be placed on the shoulders of Daniel Jones and his arm.

Barkley entered week three ranked second in the NFL with 227 rushing yards. He was averaging 7.8 yards per carry before picking up the ankle injury.

Nonetheless–

Your top news of the day:

Paul Schwartz – Daniel Jones is Giants hero in incredible comeback win

Lauren Theisen – Daniel Jones, King Of New York, Leads Giants To First Win Of Season
Chris Pflum – 6 things we learned from the Giants come from behind 32-31 win
Kevin Manahan – Giants win! New York Giants vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers RECAP, SCORE and STATS (9/22/19) NFL Week 3

New York Giants: 3 players that could somehow survive the roster cut

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New York Giants, Paul Perkins

The New York Giants and head coach Pat Shurmur have plenty of difficult decisions to make on Saturday before the roster cut deadline. At 4 PM, the roster must be cut down to the final 53-men.

There are a plethora of players fighting for their lives to ensure they earn a spot on the active team, and some of them will be left without a job and looking to latch on elsewhere.

Three New York Giants players that could survive the deadline:

1.) RB Paul Perkins

Fourth-year running back Paul Perkins is fighting to earn another chance with the Giants. Having been injured all of last season, he certainly doesn’t hold any advantage or leverage.

Perkins was thought to be the future for the Giants at running back after he rushed for 456 yards and average 4.1 yards per carry during his rookie season. His elusiveness and ability to make tacklers miss in open space provided optimism for the team moving forward.

The 24-year-old is coming off a season where he tore his pectoral muscle lifting weights. This opened the door for general manager Dave Gettleman to draft Saquon Barkley and inject him into an offense that badly needed a star running back. However, Perkins can still be of use in a limited fashion. While he’s not the most productive runner in the “I” formation, he’s a solid back in regards to running back screens and pitch plays. He is currently battling it out with Rod Smith for the reserve back spot behind Barkley and Wayne Gallman.

Acting as a glorified scar-back, Perkins can still be of use. Smith has had serious fumbling issues this off-season and is losing ground with every passing day. The final preseason game against the New England Patriots will be very telling of what is to come on Saturday.

2.) LB Josiah Tauaefa

The undrafted linebacker out of Texas-San Antonio has been a revelation for the Giants defense this preseason. While his name hasn’t been called frequently, that is likely because he has featured towards the end of games when the second and third stringers have already taken over.

PFF graded him with an 86 .8 rating, the seventh-highest grade for rookies so far. He has earned 12 total tackles, one sack, and a special teams tackle throughout the preseason.

Looking a lot like Troy Polamalu (physically), Josiah seems to have a chip on his shoulder and is fighting for an opportunity to play with the Giants. While it is unlikely he earns a roster spot, he could be a practice squad body for the time being.

He has made waves and should earn more reps in the final preseason game against New England. Again, his performance will be very telling and give the Giants brass a better understanding of what he has to offer during the 2019 season.

3.) WR Reggie White Jr.

If Reggie White Junior manages to earn a spot on the 53-man roster, there is one specific play that could have earned him the role. The Monmouth product has above average ball skills, and he has shown that during the preseason with 100-yards receiving over six receptions.

Daunting the No.13 jersey, formerly owned by Odell Beckham Jr., White Jr. has high expectations for himself and what he can accomplish with the Giants moving forward. In addition to his past catching skills, he has also made an impact on the special-teams unit, providing a fundamental block that sprung Brittan Golden on a 68-yard punt return for a touchdown.

“I loved the catch, don’t get me wrong,” White told NorthJersey.com. “But that block on the punt return, that’s the kind of play I know I need to make in order to make the team. I have to show that I can be valuable in everything I do, and that was a lot of fun, getting to celebrate in the end zone with Golden and everything, all about team right there. That’s a memory I won’t forget, and I think it shows I’m willing to do whatever it takes.”

Overall, the Giants are thin at wide receiver and being that White Jr. has shown plenty in terms of value this preseason, he deserves to earn a spot on the 53-man roster. However, the final preseason game should give him the push he needs to get over the hump if the Giants brass aren’t entirely sold on his abilities.

New York Giants: Ranking the best and worst unit for the 2019 season

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New York Giants, Alec Ogletree

The New York Giants are flush full of youth on their roster and have plenty of talent for the expected success in the near future. The issue is, with youthfulness comes inexperience, which could cause deficiencies and difficulties against opposing starting units.

 Here are the strongest and weakest units for the New York Giants:

The strongest group: Running backs

Saquon Barkley alone solidifies the running back corps, but their depth is also incredibly durable. The only real competition happening in this group is for the No. 3 RB spot, which is being fought over by Paul Perkins and Rod Smith. Wayne Gallman is the assumed No. 2 option given his familiarity with the Giants’ scheme and Eli Manning.

Smith has been plagued by fumbles and Perkins hasn’t played a game in quite some time. He has looked decent in the pass-game but his running ability to limited due to his lack of strength and power. He’s more of a glorified scat-back, and Gallman can operate in that fashion as well if need be.

I believe Saquon and Gallman will be the top dogs during the 2019 season but as Smith’s seniority and experience will likely earn him the last spot on the roster over Perkins, who hasn’t shown enough to stay around.

The weakest unit: The linebackers

The middle of the defense for the Giants is entirely in disarray. The idea of Ryan Connelly as the starting linebacker isn’t comforting, even though he’s looked good in limited action this preseason. It seems as if Tae Davis will be the “money backer” in DC James Bettcher’s scheme and Alec Ogletree, who has missed all of preseason with a strained calf will be the inside linebacker.

Connelly is set to be Ogletree’s backup in the middle, but if the veteran is forced to miss anytime, the Wisconsin product could find himself starting against the Dallas Cowboys week one in Arlington. An intimidating task for a mere rookie. In three games played, Connelly has eight total tackles, five being solo. He has shown the ability to shoot the gap very quickly but needs to work on his angles and tackling ability.

While he misses on this play, you can see his athleticism and speed from a stand-still position. That’s angle-work and will be refined through trial and error.

Despite his promise, the Giants are thin at the linebacker position and need their veterans to step up and perform. Health will be a concern here, and if Ogletree is forced to miss any time, Connelly will be the next-man-up.

New York Giants: How Saquon Barkley helps the entire offense succeed

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New York Giants, Saquon Barkley

The thought of Saquon Barkley taking the field during the regular season not only makes New York Giants fans excited but football fans in general. The quality he brings to the game and the physical traits he possesses makes him a must-watch plater.

The game-changing ability and magnificent plays he carries out every week lay the foundation of what he’s capable of on the offensive side of the ball. For the Giants, though, his influence comes in more ways than just handing the ball off to him.

His intangible traits are prolific — leadership, authority, control, discipline…

Barkley contains all of the attributes that form a world-class player, but it’s what he does without the ball in his hands that help the other play-makers.

Just having the dynamic back on the field is the difference between success and failure. Opposing defenses are forced to game-plan for Barkley and allocate defenders to track his every move, which ultimately gives the rest of the offense opportunities to succeed.

For example, against the Cincinnati Benglans on Thursday, the Giants utilized a fake running back screen and split tight end Evan Engram as a blocker on the opposite side – Eli Manning faked the throw to Wayne Gallman and dumped it off to Engram for the first down.

This play is far more successful and efficient with Barkley on the field drawing the middle linebacker from his position. The influence Barkley has on opening-up the middle of the field and exposing single-coverage is significant, and I fully expect head coach Pat Shurmur to scheme around him to keep the defense guessing.

What makes New York Giants RB Saquon Barkley so great?

As one of the league’s best tailbacks, Barkley has an exciting way about finding space in the defense to operate. Compared to runners like Ezekiel Elliot, Saquon is not quite as efficient or disciplined in sticking to run designs. What makes the Giants’ player so great is his ability to create space for himself and improvise.

A pair of massive thighs and low center of gravity allows him to change direction on a dime and shed tackles at an impressive rate. Having incredible east-west fluidity is essential to his play-style — he almost seems like a glorified scat-back, but his strength and power allow him to plow ahead for extra yardage.

A multi-tooled player, Barkley, helps the team in various facets, but his tangible traits are hard to ignore.

 

New York Giants: New Undrafted Rookie Added To The Backup Running Back Competition

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The New York Giants are still organizing their roster heading into the third week of the preseason. Their running back position is locked in with Saquon Barkley as the starter. Barkley lead the league in scrimmage yards last year with 2,028 yards en route to winning AP Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Behind Saquon Barkley, things are not as set in stone. There was a three-way competition for the second-string running back position, but this competition has now grown to a four-way.

Initially, the job battle was between Wayne Gallman, Paul Perkins, and Rod Smith. All three have flashed their potential but also shown great weaknesses. Now, a new back has been added to the mix. Jonathan Hilliman competed hard in the Giants’ second preseason game and could make a push to remain on the roster this season.

Jonathan Hilliman Stats and Highlights:

Jonathan Hilliman was a locally signed undrafted free agent who finished his collegiate career at Rutgers. Hilliman’s first three years were spent at Boston College. Jonathan totaled 1715 rushing yards through his four-year career with an average of 3.5 yards per carry and 19 rushing touchdowns.

These are not overly impressive stats from Jonathan Hilliman, but he flashed enough potential for the Giants to sign him after the draft. And now, after an impressive first preseason game, Hilliman has flashed enough to propel himself into the conversation to make the final roster.

Hilliman received a team-high 16 carries on Friday night versus the Bears. Hilliman continued his average 3.5 yards per carry as he went on to total 56 rushing yards and 1 rushing touchdown. Jonathan lead the Giants in rushing yards and flashed his elusiveness a couple of times.

Jonathan Hilliman’s touchdown rush was a perfect example of what Hilliman does best. He is a shifty runner who can jump cut and slither his way through the holes to get into the end zone.

Hilliman played an impressive game, especially for his NFL debut. But this does not lock him in on the roster. He lead the team in rushing yards and carries, but his average yards per carry was only third of the runners. Paul Perkins averaged 5.8 yards per carry and Rod Smith averaged 4.2 yards per carry.

So it was a fantastic debut for the New Jersey native Hilliman, but he has a long ways to go and tough competition to win if he wants to be on the Giants’ roster in September.

New York Giants: Three Players To Keep An Eye On Against The Bears

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New York Giants, Julian Love

The New York Giants will be hosting the Chicago Bears in their second preseason game tonight. The Giants are coming off of a preseason week one 31-22 win against the Jets. Daniel Jones stole the show last night with an impressive debut. But he was not the only player to turn in a solid performance last Thursday.

Corey Ballentine, T.J. Jones, and Jake Carlock were other standouts from week one. These players surprised many spectators with various impact plays. Here some more players to keep an eye on in Friday’s contest against Chicago:

Russell Shepard

The Giants have had a rocky offseason at the wide receiver position. Obviously, they traded away their best receiver, Odell Beckham Jr., in a shocking and controversial fashion. They then went and signed a 31-year old veteran receiver to replace him, Golden Tate. The injuries struck.

To open training camp, Corey Coleman went down with a season-ending injury while Sterling Shepard is still dealing with a thumb fracture. To top it all off, Golden Tate has been suspended for the first four weeks of the season.

Fortunately, the Giants have a lot of depth at this position. Lesser-known receivers like T.J. Jones and Alonzo Russell have been turning heads. But one player to keep an eye on against the Bears is wide receiver, Russell Shepard.

Shepard had the offense’s play of the game against the Jets last week. At the beginning of the second quarter, Shepard beat his man on a slant route from the slot and caught a rifled pass by Alex Tanney, then broke free and ran away for a 52-yard touchdown:

Russell Shepard was on the Giants’ roster last season but was a backup who was rarely given the opportunity to make an impact. This explosive play against the Jets could lead to more targets for Russell Shepard against the Bears. A few more big plays like this and Shepard could see himself getting some serious playing time in the regular season, especially during the first four weeks with Golden Tate suspended.

Wayne Gallman

The New York Giants have the best running back in the NFL in Saquon Barkley. Barkley lead the league in scrimmage yards with 2,028 as a rookie last season and is primed to have an even better year in 2019. He is obviously locked in as the starter and should see no playing time this preseason.

But behind Saquon Barkley there is a positional battle forming for the second-string running back job. Currently, it is a three-way race between Wayne Gallman, Paul Perkins, and Rod Smith. None of the three looked very good against the Jets but Gallman had the job last year so it is his to lose.

Wayne Gallman received five carries against the Jets and mustered out only 13 rushing yards for an average of 2.6 yards per carry. Not a strong outing but luckily for Gallman, Perkins, and Smith had equally bad or worse nights.

Wayne Gallman needs to separate himself from the pack and secure the second-team running back position. Tonight against a tough defense like the Bears’, Gallman could win the job with a strong outing. Look to see if Wayne can improve his yards per carry and maybe even score a touchdown to secure his position.

Julian Love

Julian Love had an inconsistent game against the Jets last week. He got off to a very poor start but did rebound later in the game with some solid plays. It will be vital for Julian to work out some of those mistakes in tonight’s game.

Against the Jets, Love was beaten in coverage a couple of times early on and made a poor decision on a goal-line pick play to allow the Jets to score a touchdown. Love seemed to settle down towards the end of the first half, though, making an excellent pass breakup with under a minute to go in the second quarter:

The Giants moved Julian Love around the defense a bit last Thursday. He started the game at corner but later moved over to free safety. This adds to the rookie’s professional learning curve since he needs to learn how to play two positions instead of one.

The Giants might need to commit Julian Love to play one position until he gets acclimated, but if they choose not to, Julian Love will continue to demonstrate a high level of versatility for the Giants’ defense.

New York Giants: Injury Problem Not Gone Post-Jets Game

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The New York Giants picked up something of an injury problem going into training camp – the team lost several players to injuries in the opening days of camp, to varying degrees of injuries. Some players had to be taken off the field with minor problems like cramps but would return in the coming days, while others such as Corey Coleman suffered a bit more. Coleman, after all, tore his ACL which will put him out of the season’s plans entirely.

Star wide receiver Sterling Shepard will miss the preseason, but should come back for week one and take his spot in the starting lineup once again. Others still have a chance of returning as the preseason continues, and a few names that fans will immediately recognize are on that list: notably, Alec Ogletree and Sam Beal.

Ogletree went down with a calf strain against the Jets and it isn’t clear when he’ll be able to return to action. Beal, on the other hand, is suffering from hamstring problems and has been since early in camp. It’s not as bad as the shoulder injury that ended Beal’s rookie season during training camp, but it does make things tougher for Beal at the crowded defensive back position, which features competition from a number of other young players.

Neither player practiced on Sunday, which is somewhat predictable. It’s only the second week of the preseason and there’s no need to take risks just yet – furthermore, Ogletree’s injury is recent and therefore we can expect him to have a longer recovery time than Beal, who was injured earlier in training camp.

However, first round draft pick Deandre Baker didn’t suit up for Sunday’s practice either after being injured in individual drills, and Grant Haley’s status is still questionable. It means the position group might just be thinner than it seemed initially, thanks to other players going down at the position.

The Giants have a few more weeks of the preseason to get things sorted out on the injury front after a rough start to training camp in that area – it remains to be seen, though, whether or not the team will pick up more injuries in the coming three games. One would hope not, and if the trend continues, some of the blame may lie with the Giants conditioning staff.