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New York Giants: Top 5 impending free agents

By Henry Buggy

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - AUGUST 26: Orleans Darkwa #26 of the New York Giants celebrates his touchdown with teammate Justin Pugh #67 in the first quarter against the New York Jets during a preseason game on August 26, 2017 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - AUGUST 26: Orleans Darkwa #26 of the New York Giants celebrates his touchdown with teammate Justin Pugh #67 in the first quarter against the New York Jets during a preseason game on August 26, 2017 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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#5 – RB Orleans Darkwa

SANTA CLARA, CA – NOVEMBER 12: Orleans Darkwa #26 of the New York Giants stiff-arms Adrian Colbert #38 of the San Francisco 49ers during their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium on November 12, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA – NOVEMBER 12: Orleans Darkwa #26 of the New York Giants stiff-arms Adrian Colbert #38 of the San Francisco 49ers during their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium on November 12, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

Ross Cockrell or Kerry Wynn could have taken this spot, but Darkwa’s play this season had to earn him a spot on this list. The undrafted running back out of Tulane is leading Big Blue’s backfield with 580 rushing yards and has three of the team’s four rushing touchdowns this season. Manning has the other one.

Darkwa is likely not a long-term solution to New York’s derailed rushing attack, but he has proven himself the most viable option this season. Giants former general manager Jerry Reese used a fifth-round draft selection on Paul Perkins and fourth-round draft selection on Wayne Gallman in back-to-back years, but only Darkwa has shown the physicality Giants fans have been missing.

The Giants 6-foot, 210-pound tailback is the only player to record a run of 20 yards or more this season and has done so five times. New York’s offensive line surely deserves to shoulder the blame for the team’s pitiful ground game, but Darkwa continues to make the most of his opportunities.

It will come as no surprise if the G-Men select a running back in the draft or add another playmaker to their backfield in free agency. But that shouldn’t prevent Big Blue’s next general manager from retaining Darkwa, especially given the amount of impending free agent running backs this offseason.

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