Giants Country

CBS Sports Names This Giants Duo as Best on the Team

And the stats certainly support the selection.
Patricia Traina|
CBS Sports Names This Giants Duo as Best on the Team
CBS Sports Names This Giants Duo as Best on the Team

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New York Giants

Every walk of life needs a dynamic duo, and pro sports teams are no different. And CBS Sports, in its rundown of all NFL teams' dynamic duos, has an obvious choice for Big Blue: quarterback Daniel Jones and running back Saquon Barkley.

Notes author Jeff Kerr of his selection:

Look no further than Jones and Barkley toward why the Giants were a playoff team last season, the only two threats on an offense that lacked playmakers. ... Jones has 44 passing touchdowns and 17 interceptions in games Barkley plays, along with a 91.4 passer rating. He has 16 touchdowns and 17 interceptions in games Barkley doesn't play (77.3 rating). Barkley playing in every game Jones did last season certainly helped, as he finished fourth in rushing yards (1,312) and ninth in rushing touchdowns (10). Barkley had the most rushing yards for a Giants player in a season since Tiki Barber (2006) and finished seventh in yards from scrimmage (1,650).

Those stats for Jones with and without Barkley are quite eye-opening and a big reason why the team was so intent on getting a deal done first with the quarterback so that they would have the franchise tag available for Barkley if a long-term deal couldn't be reached.

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And those stats were accomplished in Year 1 of a new offensive system that didn't emphasize the deep downfield passing game, where Barkley can also contribute.

Barkey and the Giants are working toward a long-term deal which they hope to have done by the July 17 deadline. However, general manager Joe Schoen has indicated that the club would be okay with Barkley playing on the $10.1 million franchise tag. 

But suppose the team wants to ensure that a very key part of their foundation remains intact for at least the next couple of years (and that one of their most important players doesn't have to trudge through the upcoming season unhappy). In that case, a deal needs to be reached to keep this dynamic duo together.

 

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Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.

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