While we didn’t get the biggest sample size of what NY Giants running back Saquon Barkley will be able to do in 2022 during the preseason opener, the hype is real for the former No. 2 overall pick. Barkley is a new man right now under the direction of head coach Brian Daboll and you can tell that the speedster has his confidence back.
What’s been the biggest difference for Barkley in recent months? Well, for starters, he’s focused on just running up the field and not trying to do too much with the ball in his hands. This has clearly been a point of emphasis for him this summer and it should prove to be golden for him once the regular season arrives too. You can thank Daboll for that, no question.
When speaking about the running backs, Daboll mentioned that Saquon "hit the ball downhill, didn’t dance."
— Dan Duggan (@DDuggan21) August 12, 2022
Seems pretty obvious that's been a coaching point. Saquon has responded to date.
NY Giants RB Saquon Barkley is feeling like his old self
The fact that Joe Judge and Jason Garrett couldn’t get things going with Barkley is beyond frustrating, but hey, the past is in the past. Now, Barkley is working closely with Daboll and new offensive coordinator Mike Kafka. With Barkley expected to be featured quite often in the passing game as well, fans are going to be ready to see him put on a show.
With that said, Barkley needs to keep things simple and not try and move too much side to side to try and break free for a home-run play each time. Daboll and Co. would rather he lower his shoulder and churn upfield for some strong gains. Heck, people would love to see him bulldoze would-be tacklers in the same kind of fashion he did going up against Aaron Robinson.
There’s no denying that Barkley has the potential to be one of the top offensive playmakers in the division, but sometimes less can truly be more. The Penn State legend is going to have countless opportunities this year to turn heads and record some groundbreaking plays.
At the end of the day, though, he’s got to focus on just being a smart football player as well. There’s no doubt in our minds Barkley will answer the call there and Daboll will be a big reason for it.