New York Giants Release Running Back Rashad Jennings

The New York Giants have released veteran running back Rashad Jennings. Jennings joins wide receiver Victor Cruz as high-profile February cuts.

The New York Giants parted ways with veteran wide receiver Victor Cruz on Monday, Feb. 13. It was an expected decision, but it broke the hearts of many Giants fans who had been loyal to Cruz during his memorable seasons with New York.

Mere hours later, it was revealed that the Giants weren’t done making changes on the offensive side of the ball.

New York is coming off of a season during which the defense ranked amongst the NFL’s elite and the offense fell well short of that distinction. It ranked No. 25 in yards per game and No. 29 in rushing yards per contest.

According to Jordan Raanan of ESPN New York, the Giants have responded to those issues by parting ways with veteran running back Rashad Jennings.

General manager Jerry Reese is clearing cap space and seemingly preparing to retool the offense.

Jennings played the past three seasons with the Giants, appearing in 40 games. During those 40 appearances, he accumulated 543 carries for 2,095 yards and 10 touchdowns, as well as 94 receptions for 723 yards and a pair of scores.

This past season, Jennings appeared in 13 games and ran the ball 181 times for 593 yards and three touchdowns—good for an average of 3.3 yards per carry.

Paul Perkins showed signs of potential stardom as a rookie in 2016, which likely played a role in this decision.

New York ranked no higher than No. 19 in the NFL in rushing yards per game during Jennings’ three seasons with the team. He ran for 863 yards on an average of 4.4 yards per carry in 2015, but injuries caught up to him in 2016.

Now 31 years of age, Jennings will look to find a new team in free agency as the Giants move forward with the 22-year-old Perkins.

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Thank you for your three years with the New York Giants, Rashad Jennings. Best of luck in the future.