Giants' 2020 Roster Report Card: Grading the Running Backs

On the surface, the Giants running back situation seems set for the foreseeable future.

In reality, it’s quite the contrary.

Yes, they have Saquon Barkley, who is entering the third year of his rookie deal, But after this season, there are questions and lots of them.

First, will the Giants extend Barkley’s contract as the Panthers did with their star running back Christian McCaffrey or will the Giants use any fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic as a reason to defer any negotiations that they technically don’t have to do for at least four years (the final year of Barkley’s contract, the rookie option year, and two potential uses of the franchise tag)?

And second, what about the depth at the position? The Giants added veteran Dion Lewis to be the projected No. 2 back behind Barkley. Still, given how the Giants depth at this position is set up, it seems more like a revolving door than offering any stability.

Eventually, you’d like to think these questions will be ironed out, but if you’re looking for answers for the long-term at this position, it’s probably safe to say you won’t find them this year.

Roster Locks: Saquon Barkley, Dion Lewis

In two seasons, Barkley has rushed 478 times for 2,310 yards and 17 rushing touchdowns. But believe it or not, the world hasn’t seen the full extent of just how impactful Barkley can be on an offense. That’s because the prior coaching staff, for whatever the reason, seemed to shy away from using Barkley’s talents in the passing game outside of having him come out of the backfield as a receiver.

Reporters admitted to last year’s OTAs saw what the offense could potentially look like with Barkley split wide or in the slot, and was it a sight to behold! Yes, the Giants linebackers last year left something to be desired in coverage, but even if the speed had been there, keeping up with Barkley is no easy feat.

Make no mistake: Barkley is going to be the bell cow in the running game, as he should be. But diversify his snaps and mix things up to keep opposing defenses honest. And don’t be afraid to use Lewis, who at one time was a bit of a bell cow himself but who has gravitated toward more of a role player, to take some of the pounding Barkley absorbs typically during the game.

A few years ago, we saw how the Rams’ one-two punch of Todd Gurley and CJ Anderson did wonders for their rushing attack. It’s unknown if Lewis, who signed a one-year contract this off-season, can be the long-term No. 2 to Barkley’s No. 1, but hopefully, the Giants figure out who has the long-term potential to complement Barkley for the next several years.

Likely Backups: Javon Leake, Eli Penny (FB)

Javon Leake is an extremely intriguing player, given his versatility as a runner and his return specialist potential.

In three seasons at Maryland, Leake, an undrafted free agent, returned 59 kicks for 1,445 yards and three touchdowns, two of which he returned last season.

He's a big, strong, dynamic runner who can break tackles and fight for extra yards. He's also proven to be a home run hitter who scored a touchdown every 8.5 carries for the Terps, despite a lack of explosive speed. Leake’s success as a running back is mainly due to his very good vision, his ability to change up his running tempo, his balance and his ability to juke defenders.

Although he didn’t wow people at the combine with his 4.6-second 40-yard dash, it needs to be remembered that the drill was held during primetime, which made it challenging for a lot of athletes looking to impress.

Eli Penny hasn’t been used much on offense—he took 127 offensive snaps to be exact—but when he does get in there, this complimentary player on offense makes the most of his opportunities.

He’s a good but not particularly physical lead blocker who is more of an inside runner with good but not great push, and he’s got enough mobility and good hands to be a positive receiver out of the backfield.

Listed as a halfback instead of a fullback by the previous coaching staff, Penny has made enough positive plays to warrant more playing time. With the depth in front of him, that playing time never came and probably won’t this year either if he’s on the roster again.

In addition to his support role on offense, Penny has been a core member of the Giants special teams, which is likely to continue in 2020.

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Bubble Guys: Wayne Gallman, Jon Hilliman, George Aston, Sandro Angulo Platzgummer

Gallman has been something of a mystery. You watch his game and see that he can do a lot of what Barkley is capable of doing, though certainly not on the same scale.

But where Gallman’s roster chances are hurt the most is his lack of participation on special teams. Players at the back end of the depth chart at each position unit better be a special teams contributor. Gallman is not, having played just 17 total snaps on special teams last year, all of those coming in the first three weeks of the season, and only one snap in the previous two seasons on kickoff return.

If Leake impresses on special teams as a return specialist, it’s not hard to see the Giants moving on from Gallman after this summer.

Hilliman appeared in three games last year after being promoted from the Giants practice squad when injuries hit Barkley and Gallman. Hilliman, an undrafted free agent who impressed just enough in training camp, saw 30 rushing attempts for 91 yards and managed six first downs and caught three out of four pass targets for one yard.

However, he had two costly fumbles and a less than impressive 1.5 average yards rushing after contact, al of which puts him in the precarious category of if there’s someone better on the roster, he’ll be among the first to go.

Aston is primarily a fullback who logged some time with the Broncos last summer. Aston, a converted linebacker at Pitt, appeared in 39 games and recorded 28 carries while catching 45 [asses.

He had one of his most productive seasons in college in 2016, with ten touchdowns (5 rushing, 5 receiving) on just 44 touches. However, he suffered a couple of significant ankle injuries that might be behind him bouncing around the league since his stint with Denver.

Platzgummer, awarded to the Giants via the NFL’s International Pathway Program, will end up on the Giants practice squad, where he won’t count against the unit’s roster total but where he also won’t be eligible to be activated to the 53-man roster during the season.

Grade: B+

It goes without saying that if Barkley is deployed to the fullest of his potential, he'll be in line to produce enormous numbers this season.

The biggest question, as previously noted, is depth. The Giants added Dion Lewis, a player with whom Joe Judge is familiar from ELwis' stint in New England, but the team still has Wayne Gallman, who, for whatever reason, has been disappearing from the radar.

Overall, the depth at this position doesn't appear to be a significant concern--Eli Penny can carry the rock in a pinch, and it's almost a sure thing that at least one other running back will be part of the depth.

But if there is one significant concern, it's that this position, at least in the depth department, seems to undergo an annual turnover. It would be nice if the Giants can find a long-term No. 2 behind Barkley.