Why the NY Giants’ rebuild is further along than the Jets’

Running Back

The NY Jets and NY Giants are constructed very similarly in terms of the running back position. Both teams have former All-Pro running backs as their bell cow backs who serve as threats not only in the running game but also in the passing game. Additionally, they each have capable veterans as backups, later round picks from the previous regime as their number three, and a promising rookie rounding out the depth chart.

For years, Le’Veon Bell was the gold standard for what an NFL running back should be. While with the Pittsburgh Steelers, he regularly led NFL running backs in all-purpose yards. He would sign a four-year deal, $52.5 million deal with the Jets after opting to hold out during the final year of his contract with the Steelers.

The 28-year-old Bell would post the worst season of his career (outside of an injury-plagued 2015 where he played six games) during his first year with New York. In 15 games last season, Bell had 245 rushing attempts for only 789 yards, an average of 3.2 yards per carry. The lack of production is definitely a cause for concern for the Jets who invested a lot of money in Bell.

Conversely, the NY Giants were widely chastised for investing the second overall selection of the 2019 draft on a running back. In his first two seasons, 23-year-old Saquon Barkley has nearly 3,500 all-purpose yards and 23 touchdowns, despite missing time and lacking explosiveness during a portion of last season due to a severe high ankle sprain.

Currently, Barkley is on a four-year $31 million rookie contract. However, there is no doubt that the Giants will be forced to dish out a heft contract extension in the near future that will likely be in the neighborhood of the Carolina Panthers deal with Christian McCaffrey of four-years and $64 million.

Both New York teams gave veteran running backs one-year deals in the offseason to come in to provide security to their primary ball carriers. The Giants signed 29-year-old Dion Lewis and the Jets opted to sign 37-year-old Frank Gore. Both provide excellent veteran presences but are unlikely to be three-down backs in the event that Barkley or Bell miss time.

Rounding out the depth charts at running back for the Jets are Trenton Cannon, the team’s sixth-round pick out of Virginia State in 2018 and La’Mical Perine, a fourth-round pick out of Florida in this year’s draft. The 26-year-old Cannon provides lightning-quick speed, while the 22-year-old Perine showcases as a potential all-purpose back in the future.

The GMEN have 25-year-old Wayne Gallman, a former fourth-round draft pick in 2017 out of Clemson, as well as 21-year-old Javon Leake, an undrafted free agent rookie out of Maryland. Gallman was sufficient as a backup to Barkley the past two years, while Leake provides the Giants with electric quickness.

Advantage: NY Giants

The NY Giants get the nod here because of the relative youth of their running back group. Given the limited shelf life of an NFL running back, the fact that Barkley is five years younger than Bell is critical. Additionally, Barkley is still on a rookie contract and still has his prime years in front of him, which makes his future pay increase more palatable.