Fixing The Giants Run Game
The Giants run game has been dismal at best and a disconcerted mess at worst. And the Giants solution the past few years has just been to throw as many guys as possible at the problem, like throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping something would stick. This is why they haven't had a reliable back since Tiki Barber left (he looks pretty good in the new Geico commercial). A somewhat relative statement, but the Giants have started the past 5 seasons with a running back by committee but the backs drop off throughout the season and the team ends the season on a feature back with a lot of question marks. A lot of these question backs go into the following season unable to make it through the rigorous 16 and the Giants add more depth around him and the cycle continues. This cycle produces the dismal results on the field and save for one of these seasons, the Giants have finished in the bottom 5 in RPG.
That's no bueno. And this season did not deviate from that pattern.
The Giants started last season with Rashad Jennings, Shane Vereen and Paul Perkins with Orleans Darkwa somewhat waiting in the wing. But Shane Vereen only played in 5 games and amassed 32 touches while struggling to stay healthy and Rashad Jennings has since been released. This leaves Paul Perkins as the feature back-- and guess what: he has question marks. Thank goodness that Orleans Darkwa is still waiting in the wing. The Giants will almost undoubtedly add a companion for Paul (besides Orleans Darkwa).
But what kind of companion would make the most sense to add another offensive weapon. Well, Paul Perkins is a speed between the tackles back in the archetype of Leveon Bell or Chris Johnson. Ben McAdoo happens to be fond of Paul, considering him a steal in the 5th when he was drafted last year and Ben McAdoo said Perkins was using this offseason to get better. However, to complement him effectively in McAdoo's offense, the Giants would like to add a bruiser or an outside the tackles speedster that can block and receive for Eli. Now there are literally only three options for the Giants to pursue adding the necessary depth. Hopefully, Jerry Reese will attempt to look at and consider every option, as he usually says he does.
1. Free Agency
Adrian Peterson:
Cap space is dwindling quickly after resigning a few key contributors, bringing in 3 new free agents and putting the franchise tag on JPP. At the top of everybody's list, as always, is Adrian Peterson. Adrian sent shockwaves through Big Blue's fanbase when he sent this cryptic tweet shortly after the Super Bowl.
The Giants been making some interesting moves.
— Adrian Peterson (@AdrianPeterson) February 16, 2017
But everyday that tweet gets older and so does any news he is interested in the Giants. Since this tweet from two months, forever in the twitterverse, Adrian has since been linked to the Cowboys, Seahawks, Chiefs, and taking a pay cut to join the Patriots-- to just name a few. To talk Adrian out of Viking purple will most likely require a small fortune, despite recent Patriot reports. The Giants do not have a small fortune after last years spending spree and if they did, it is doubted if they would spend it on a 30+ running back. What little cap room the Giants have left would have to be allocated to Adrian and would likely include additional cap casualties to make the numbers crunch. At least they kicked the tires.
Christine Michael:
Christine hasn't been able to find an adequate home since he was drafted in the 2nd round 4 years ago. Last year, in his second stint with the Seahawks, he started 7 games, played in 10 and totaled 469 yards before being released and being picked up by the Packers and amassing another 114 yards. A bruiser back in the archetype of Marshawn Lynch, Christine would be useful in the Giants offense as a change of pace or a good blocking back. The New York Giants aren't known for being anyones second or third home but Christine could bring change to that and reinvent himself in New York, letting Seattle know exactly what they released-twice.
2. Trade Market
The trade market has never been friendly to Jerry Reese but he still may be ale to swindle a fellow GM out of a player that may have become expendable and may be looking for a change of scenery. However, the trade market for running backs tends to be a little steep with GMs putting extra emphasis on skill positions. That may spell problems and be too rich for Reese's blood, never one to mortgage the future on any one player. There are players that can be shaken from their teams if the price is right.. It probably won't be.
Thomas Rawls
Thomas Rawls
another Seahawk falling out favor with the emergence of C.J. Prosise and the addition of Eddie Lacy, Rawls is a big bruiser when he's able to stay on the field. Pete Carroll is a hawk on the trade market and Thomas is perfect complement to C.J., so Thomas would likely be a hard sell to get to New York. Thomas is under utilized but is a potentially potent offensive piece, Pete Carroll may expect something back along the lines of a high draft pick and/or a young offensive linemen; this is an awfully high price for a injury prone player, even if he is currently expendable. The only realistic hope to get a deal done is later in training camp when the players get their pads on and Thomas falls down the depth chart.
Alfred Blue
Alfred rushed for 420 yards last season and has pretty much been an afterthought in a Houston backfield that's been his for the taking during and after Arian Foster's departure. Despite the favorable match ups and expanded role, Blue has struggled in Houston in a subpar offense and ever-changing role. So a change of scenery just might do the trick for the youngster. Anything can happen at the negotiating table but Jerry Reese should be able to convince Houston brass that Blue won't be missed in the locker room or by the fan base and talk them down to a mid round pick plus cash. A deal like this is likely the only adequate way to bring in a skilled back with above average size and speed. Alfred is a below average blocker, despite early reports to the contrary coming out of college, leaving Alfred's role to somewhat mimic what the already have with Paul Perkins.
3. Draft Day
The best way to get a talented young back is to draft him. But there is a reason the Giants have drafted a back from every draft class, save one since 2009. There is a reason none of these players are still on the roster. I do not know what these reasons are. The relative trend of the Giants is to draft mid-round picks that piddle out and the only deviation from this was David Wilson, a former 1st round pick that retired due to neck issues. If the Giants plan to deviate from their mid-round pattern again, they will have to spend either their #23 or their #55 pick on a running back. Listing 20 backs in this column would be easy but the Giants are going to look at each one as well and narrow it down to respective tiers. In the same fashion, we will narrow it down to what would be the most efficient in Ben McAdoo's offense in either the first or second round.
Leonard Fournette: Assuming Dalvin Cook is off the board and Joe Mixon is off the Giants board, and every mock on Fournette going in the top 10 is wrong and truthfully, no team in the top 22 is interested in him, the Giants would HAVE to take him. There's been a recent trend in drafting running backs in the first round again but for every Ezekiel Elliot, there is a Trent Richardson; which may scare off more than 1 GM in the lottery. Fournette is a beast, an explosive bruiser that would likely cumulate a lot of first down miles in the Giants offense, but he would look really good in royal blue. Ben McAdoo's strategy of 'get 4 or 5 yards on 1st down' would be Fournette's bread and butter and this would alleviate a lot of pressure off of the passing game.
Alvin Kamara: A downhill runner in the prototype of Jamaal Charles, if the Giants decide to wait to address RB until the 2nd round, Alvin is expected to be the 5th back off the board. Alvin ran a 4.55 at the combine which raised red flags for a few teams, but this is the same team that took Andre Williams in the 4th round. If Alvin falls to 55, the only con regarding his game is his similarity to Perkins; although coming out, Alvin is rated as a slightly better blocker than Perkins was (and is proving to be) which would help his stock with a certain Jerry. A lot of backs in this draft have shown above average pass protection skills, to note.
Who do you think the Giants will add to the backfield besides Perkins and Darkwa? Share your thoughts below.
