3 things New York Giants’ Saquon Barkley needs to improve this offseason

2. Saquon Barkley’s Explosiveness

Explosiveness is essential for every skill position player to have, and when you suffer an injury such as Barkley had, that attribute can take time to return if at all.

Watching the Penn State alum in 2021 was difficult as there were many plays at the beginning of the year where there was hesitation to get into open space and explode down the field.

This is common as a player returns from an injury in the knee, their tendencies shift more towards skill rather than using their pure athleticism to get by people.

As the year went on, Barkley became more confident in his athleticism and it became clear that he can still make guys miss in open space.

This was seen more often in the Bears game where the Giants used Barkley in the wildcat formation, putting the ball in his hands to make a play.

A few of these play calls were effective in picking up good yardage and moving the sticks, but it also showed that not only is Barkley more confident, but the Giants are more confident to call plays for him.

The explosiveness aspect of his game is something that can take a long time to return in his situation, and the progression towards that is there for all to see.

One thing that Barkley has shown throughout his injury issues is that his perseverance is off the charts, and with that type of commitment he will be due for a great year in 2022 and beyond.

An explosive Barkley is not only great for Giants fans, but for fans of the NFL in general. Barkley is one of the most exciting players to watch when healthy, and he has many highlight plays left in the tank for all to watch in wonder.