3. Improved Running Game
The running game for the NY Giants did not live up to expectations last season. Saquon Barkley’s high ankle sprain is a major reason for that, as it prevented him from taking the field in three games and sapped him of his prior explosiveness until late in the season.
With Barkley out and injured, Big Blue struggled to find depth behind him as backup Wayne Gallman was forced to miss six games due to injury. As a result, the Giants started undrafted free agent Jon Hilliman and fullback Eli Penny at the running back position during games last season.
Additionally, the offensive line failed to create holes in the running game for Barkley to run through. With the addition of Thomas, Peart, Lemieux, and Fleming, the Giants offensive line has added some road graders that should be able to open some holes to allow Barkley to return to at least his rookie form if not better.
The lack of a running game last season left the Giants offense one-dimensional and extremely predictable. With Barkley forced to miss time, his lack of explosiveness when he returned from injury, and the offensive line’s inability to create holes in the running game, opposing defenses were able to pin their ears back and rush Daniel Jones at a higher rate than they might otherwise have been with a threat from the running game.
The increased pass rush and ineffectiveness of the offensive line resulted in Jones being sacked and hit at high rates. The sacks and hits led to many of his 18 fumbles. Therefore, an improvement in the running game should bode well for Jones to improve his stats from last season.
The Giants have addressed their lack of depth at the running back position by adding Dion Lewis in free agency and Javon Leake as an undrafted free agent out of Maryland.
Lewis will provide depth to Barkley in the running game and provides Jones with a veteran running back who has excellent pass-catching skills out of the backfield. Leake is a depth piece at running back who has explosive speed and big play ability.
If the Giants’ running game is improved versus last season, it should keep opposing defenses guessing as to what the offense is going to do. That lack of predictability should serve well for the progression of Jones, as he was rarely afforded that luxury last season.