Devin Singletary Confident in Giants' Young Running Backs Group

The Giants are moving on from Saquon Barkley and running back Devin Singletary things. They have enough talent to have success.

Geoff Magliocchetti | Jun 7, 2024

Sep 15, 2019; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Buffalo Bills running back Devin Singletary (26) runs for a touchdown against New York Giants cornerback DeAndre Baker (27) during the second quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

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New York Giants

Thanks to running back Devin Singletary, sales of duct tape and Sharpies are about to skyrocket in the tri-state area, particularly among New York Giants fans looking to repurpose their Saquon Barkley No. 26 jerseys.

Singletary, who has worn No. 26 since entering the NFL, actually has a different number in mind for his first season in Blue.

"As a running back, you always want to get 1,000 yards," said Singletary, whose career high of 898 rushing yards came last season with the Houston Texans. "At the end of the day, it's still helping the team in any way to win."

Running back Devin Singletary (26) / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Though Barkley, the newly-minted Philadelphia Eagle, is back in metropolitan headlines after his new boss, Nick Sirianni, made it known that he occasionally trolls Giants fans over their loss of the one-time face of the Giants' franchise, Singletary is focused more on his game and getting it to fit the Giants’ goal of winning.

"That's our focus: Win games,” Singletary said when asked how they could ease the sting of losing Barkley to a hated division rival. “We aren't worried about the shadow of Saquon or none of that. It's just finding ways to win games."

Among the Giants' more immediate goals, that certainly won't be hard to accomplish. Barkley no doubt created his share of highlights as the Giants' top rushing option when he was healthy. But New York posted a 35-65-1 record in his six seasons and only made it to the playoffs once, that in 2022.

Singletary, on the other hand was part of contenders in Buffalo and Houston before he signed with the Giants this spring. He has another chance at being the lead on a committee.

Sep 15, 2019; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Buffalo Bills running back Devin Singletary (26) warms up before a game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Though he has struggled to live up to the consistency of his rookie season in Orchard Park where he tallied 5.1 yards a carry, Singletary has chugged along as an efficient enough offensive weapon.

He is among the last 14 rushers to put up at least 4,000 yards since 2019 and he fell just 102 yards short of his four-digit aspirations with the Texans last year. Singletary has also proven to be an equally potent aerial threat, grabbing 1,164 receiving yards in that same span.

One of the first to notice Singletary's potential was Giants head coach Brian Daboll, one of his first offensive overseers during their shared tenure in Buffalo.

Granted a chance to work with Singletary from a new point of view, Daboll is further impressed by what he brought to the Giants' mental affairs in a young rushing room.

"Devin has been productive back when he was with me at Buffalo; he did a good job in Houston. (He) has some good leadership traits about him," Daboll said.

"He knows our system inside and out. He was in Houston for one year but is very comfortable with how we do things. He's done a good job leading that room with some younger guys."

Singletary described Daboll as “fearless” as a playcaller and said he likes how the Giant's offense has taken shape. “Man, it could be explosive,” he said. “You know, I feel like there are a lot of opportunities for the backs as well. I've been in the offense. It's fun.”

And it could be even more fun for the running backs. “You could do it all,” Singletary said. “You can catch the ball out the backfield, and they can spread you out wide and run the ball.”

Published Jun 7, 2024

GEOFF MAGLIOCCHETTI