3 biggest takeaways from NY Giants OTAs thus far

2 of 3

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – JANUARY 09: Saquon Barkley #26 of the New York Giants loses control of the ball in the third quarter of the game against the Washington Football Team at MetLife Stadium on January 09, 2022 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

2. Saquon Barkley is looking like his old self

Will the real Saquon Barkley please stand up? That’s what NY Giants fans are hoping to see come this fall, as Barkley had a 2021 season to forget. Coming off his torn ACL in 2020, Barkley sure looked like he lost a step last campaign and it was rough to see. The poor offensive line didn’t help, but Barkley just wasn’t looking strong.

At OTAs, Barkley is moving much more fluidly and it’s been tremendous to see. On top of that, the additions for the line will also make a strong impact for No. 26 from start to finish in 2022. Jon Feliciano, Mark Glowinski and Evan Neal stand out as the guys who will be read to improve things both in pass blocking and run blocking.

This is welcome news for Barkley, as he’s ready to run through some big holes. Last year, things closed in on him way too fast and he wasn’t elusive enough to get away from tacklers. Looking forward to this year, the line, of course including stud Andrew Thomas, will make life so much more easier for Barkley.

After his Pro Bowl rookie season, Barkley hasn’t come close to reaching the same level of production. That year, Barkley rushed for 1,307 yards and 11 touchdowns, while adding 721 receiving yards and four more scores. A fully healthy Barkley will make plenty of noise in ’22. Giants fans can count on that.

Home/Daniel Jones