The expectations will be sky-high for NY Giants running back Saquon Barkley this upcoming season. With him entering Year 5, and his final contract year with the New York Giants, it could also be his last campaign with the team. It would be widely beneficial for both sides if Barkley can return to form in 2022.
Barkley, while being one of the faces of the NFL, has been plagued with injuries since his second year in East Rutherford. While it’s no fault of his, it seems as if each time he is on the brink of greatness, another hurdle is thrown in his way. A torn ACL and ankle sprains have left Barkley to be just a shell of himself over the past two seasons. Even while dealing with injuries, Barkley has shown flashes of how good he can still be.
Saquon Barkey had only one destination in mind ❗️pic.twitter.com/kZNXNPIosJ
— PFF NY Giants (@PFF_Giants) October 3, 2021
And there’s no reason to believe that he can’t return to that level, and play like this consistently. Barkley’s rookie season still stands to be his best in the NFL. He exploded onto the scene, recording 2,028 yards from scrimmage and 15 total touchdowns, earning him Pro Bowl honors.
Since his sophomore season in 2019, Barkley has accounted for 2,391 yards from scrimmage and just 12 touchdowns. He has also not played a full season in that time, missing 21 games over this stretch. However, 2022 could be the year that Barkley finds himself back in control of his destiny. The Giants offense will look brand new, with a rebuilt offensive line, new weapons on the offense and new play-callers calling the shots. The stars are in line for Barkley to return to stardom.
Here are four ambitious goals for Saquon Barkley in 2022
1. Play in all 17 regular season games
Having Barkley available for each game should be the biggest goal for this Giants team. Barkley hasn’t played in a full season since his rookie year. As noted, he has dealt with an unfortunate string of injuries that have kept him limited in each season since 2019. His overall availability has kept the Giants from seeing just how good he is at 25 years old.
Him being able to suit up for all 17 regular season games could be what both sides need to continue this relationship after his contract ends. Barkley playing in each game will also help the Giants see how good their team can be. Each part of this offense needs to be built piece by piece, and not having someone of Barkley’s caliber will hurt this unit in a big way.
With this also potentially being the last season for Daniel Jones in a Giants uniform, having Barkley alongside him will also give him his best chance to succeed. The two have played well when on the field together, but recently it hasn’t happened enough. Having both of these guys healthy and ready to go will give the Giants the best chance to succeed.
2. 1,250 yards from scrimmage
Barkley has gained over 1,000 yards from scrimmage twice in his career. This happened in his first two seasons in the NFL. Two injury-riddled campaigns later have seen Barkley account for less than 1,000 total combined 2020-2021.
However, things may look different in 2022. The arrival of players such as Evan Neal, Jon Feliciano and Mark Glowinski will lead to this offensive line looking vastly different this season. While many of Barkley’s issues producing with the ball have been faulted on the guys in the trenches, a new line will allow for Barkley to once again showcase his abilities.
In recent years, Barkley has been stopped from making a play before he even gets an opportunity. Opposing defenders have him dropped in the backfield before anything is formed. A majority of his yards are coming off of explosive plays that are only possible because of him.
Given that these problems hopefully won’t exist this season, Barkley will finally be able to work. There is also a chance that he will be more utilized in the passing game. His rookie season saw him haul in 91 receptions for 721 yards. Since that season, he hasn’t been used as heavily in the passing game. If he can be utilized heavily in both areas of the game, his yards from scrimmage could skyrocket.
3. 10+ touchdowns
At one point in his career, Barkley was a touchdown machine. Over his first two seasons, he reached the end zone 23 times. Over his past 15 games, he has scored just four times, with two coming through the air and two coming on the ground.
With offensive weapons such as Kenny Golladay, Kadarius Toney and Wan’Dale Robinson surrounding Barkley, defenses will have to key in on each dynamic playmaker. While Golladay had a down season last year, so did every player on the Giants. His previous work done with the Detroit Lions showcases how productive he can be. Toney has electric abilities too, and he’s ready to put the drama of the offseason behind him.
Robinson could be more of a wild card. The Giants’ second-round pick was explosive in college and could very well be the same way in the NFL. Both head coach Brian Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka have done well with utilizing running backs in the past. During his time with the Buffalo Bills, Daboll had a strong backfield in Zack Moss and Devin Singletary. Kafka had the same sort of setup with the Kansas City Chiefs with a backfield of Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Darrel Williams.
The Bills and Chiefs’ offenses were both two of the most explosive ones in the entire NFL while being built around an elite passing game. Yet the running backs still got their touches and excelled. With a running back like Barkley in the backfield, they could find ways to open up their playbooks, even more, allowing for him to find the end zone regularly.
4. A trip to the Pro Bowl
Barkley hasn’t made a trip to the Pro Bowl since his rookie year. A return to the game would mark obviously what would have had to have been a successful year for the running back. The recognition and appearance would mean that things all went to plan.
It would also mean that he outperformed his peers, which should be the biggest goal for the running back. With so much doubt coming from people about whether he can return to form, this would all but prove them wrong. It could also lead to a return to the Giants next season as it could be hard to let a Pro Bowl running back walk in free agency.
At just 25 years old, Barkley still has a lot of football ahead of him. He has proven that he is both effective and elite when healthy. By staying healthy and turning in a top season, he can regain his spot among the running back hierarchy in the league.