What to Expect: Giants RB Rashad Jennings

Dec 15, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders running back

(27) runs the ball against the Kansas City Chiefs in the second quarter at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

In the first part of a new “what to expect” series that examines all the new free agents, we take a look at the running back from Oakland, Rashad Jennings. Jennings is the definition of a hard worker. He has been nothing but a hard-nosed and consistent runner throughout his career, both with the Jaguars and Raiders.

Jennings is a health nut who once called the air we breath “toxic” compared to the air he breathes in his hyperbaric oxygen chamber, which he sleeps in every night to replenish.

Last year for the Raiders, he knew going in that there was a high probability he’d emerge as the primary ball carrier because of Darren McFadden‘s injury history. So when that opportunity came, he was ran with it, literally, to the tune of 771 all purpose yards and 6 touchdowns in the seven starts he made down the stretch of the season.

Now, blowing up number for a full season is a bit misleading simply because of the key factors that are not considered — workload, durability, overall freshness — but that would be on pace over 1,660+ all purpose yards and 16 TD’s.

Yes, those numbers will most likely never be achieved, but it is something to be excited about.

A jack of all trades of sorts, Jennings will provide the backfield of the Giants with a physical force who can be counted on when the going gets tough. He packs a hard punch, averaging over 2.2 yards AFTER contact, and has the ability to break away and be lethal in the open field. 

For your enjoyment, here are his 2013 highlights to help you get pumped up for a running back that you can count on to be consistent… after the terror that was the 2013 Giants’ backfield.