The End Of The New York Giants’ Four-RB Rotation?
For the first twelve games of the 2015 season, the New York Giants rotated 3 or 4 running backs with little to moderate success. It wasn’t until Week 7 against the Dallas Cowboys that the Giants as a team eclipsed the 100-yard mark in rushing yards – a feat they only accomplished four times the entire season.
According to John Schmeelk at Giants.com, that rotation may largely come to an end. When asked how the myriad of Giants running backs will split carries, Schmeelk believes Rashad Jennings will play more of a role in 2016.
“Rashad Jennings is likely to be the primary running back on first and second downs, given his ability to run, block and catch out of the backfield. I would expect him to get around 15-18 carries a game.”
There’s little question that Jennings will be the starting back and the primary ball carrier, but to what extent he will be used is still up in the air. Jennings didn’t hit the 15-carry mark until Week 14 against the Miami Dolphins last season.
Jennings’ numbers in 2015 when he was the bell cow are undeniable. As Lance Medow of Giants.com points out in the same Q&A, “In the last four games of the season, Jennings recorded 79 total carries for 432 yards and averaged 5.5 yards per carry. To put that in perspective, in the first 12 games of the season, Jennings tallied 116 carries and averaged 3.7 yards per carry.”
Shane Vereen will continue to function as a third-down back with his ability to catch balls out of the backfield, but the Giants currently have five other RBs vying for a roster spot and then playing time – Andre Williams, Orleans Darkwa, Paul Perkins, Bobby Rainey and Marshaun Coprich.
Statistically, giving the ball to Jennings the bulk of the time makes the most sense for the Giants offense and it’s what the fans were clamoring for in 2015. But what does that mean for the other RBs? Odds are Rainey, Coprich and even fan-favorite Darkwa won’t even make the roster.
The offseason excitement for a guy like Perkins is at an all-time high in July when he hasn’t played a snap in the NFL. But how much playing time will Perkins even get in 2016? If Jennings and Vereen make up, let’s say, 85% of the snaps at running back, that leaves Williams and Perkins to share the remaining carries.
Wins are wins for Giants fans, so if Jennings going the bell cow leads to more wins then so be it. But for fans in the offseason wanting to see production from rookies like Perkins or Coprich, they may have to wait until 2017 to see any real impact.