Jets running back James Robinson is upended by New England Patriots cornerback Jack Jones.
AP Photo/John Minchillo
Have the New York Giants finally learned the modern lesson at the running back position?
After contract negotiations between the team and Saquon Barkley ended in disappointment by Monday’s franchise tag deadline, New York must move forward with the very real possibility they won’t have their Pro Bowl back for the 2023 season.Â
Should Barkley not sign his franchise tender, the Giants would have just Matt Brieda, Gary Brightwell, Eric Gray, and recently signed James Robinson in the running back room. Each of these backs brings something unique to the room.Â
More importantly, they carry a total cap hit of under $4 million – almost twice as less as Barkley’s franchise tag.Â
The full contract details for the recently signed Robinson have not been disclosed yet, but it’s a clear example of the changing of the guard with how the Giants want to operate. Most NFL-contending teams have used a running back-by-committee approach that uses value signings to make up for what a bell-cow back could bring. In Super Bowl LVII, both the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs paid their entire runningback rooms under $10 million between the two. They were also the two best teams in the NFL last season.Â
It appears the Giants understand that if they want to be in the conversation of the best teams in the NFL, they’ll need to begin acting like one within the players they decide to actually pay.Â
Without Barkley attending camp, the G-Men will be relying on Brieda’s shiftiness, Brightwell’s speed, and Robinson’s overall power. It’s an interesting combination that has served New York well in the past. On the 2007 championship team, the running back trio of Brandon Jacobs, Ahmad Bradshaw, and Derrick Ward were important to the overall health of the roster. Because neither of the three received major contracts, the Giants were able to keep…
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