The New York Giants rebuilt their backfield this offseason after star rusher Saquon Barkley left for the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency. As a result, the Giants are planning on taking a running-back-by-committee approach this season with Devin Singletary as their leading back.
Along with Singletary are a couple of other young running backs with second-year player Eric Gray and rookie Tyrone Tracy Jr. Both youthful rushers bring different skill sets to the backfield, however, the Giants could still be in search of a short-yardage and power back to convert ugly yards for them this season. One veteran running back is reportedly “motivated to continue his NFL career” and could add that desired power to the Giants’ backfield in free agency.
Leonard Fournette could be a summer signing for the Giants
According to ESPN’s NFL Insider Adam Schefter, veteran running back Leonard Fournette is “motivated to continue his NFL career” and “intends to sign with a team before the season.” He recently hired a new agency and is beginning his search for a home for the upcoming season.
“Leonard’s in the best shape of his career and I expect he will have a new home soon,” Fournette’s agent Ari Nissim said in a statement released by Schefter.
Fournette spent some time with the Buffalo Bills during the 2023 season, but was mostly a free agent during the campaign. He appeared in five games for the Bills, taking just 12 handoffs for 40 yards.
Now 29 years old, Fournette has seen his role in the league diminish over the last several years of his seven-year career. Despite his agent’s statement, there is still a question as to how much the veteran back has left in the tank. However, he is only one season removed from a 668-yard rushing, three-touchdown campaign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022. Perhaps he could still play a role in the Giants’ backfield as a power rusher on short-yardage situations.
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The Giants were interested in signing a power back earlier this offseason
Earlier this offseason, the Giants expressed interest in signing veteran running back AJ Dillon. The 26-year-old running back eventually re-signed with the Green Bay Packers and the Giants, meanwhile, still have yet to add a powerful rusher to their backfield.
Dillon’s calling card is his power. Nicknamed “Quadzilla,” the 6-foot, 247-pound Dillon packs a punch and brings an abundance of aggression to the backfield. Fournette could offer a similar skill set to the one the Giants valued in Dillon.
If the Giants are still interested in signing a power back, Fournette could be an intriguing option. He might not still have the capabilities to lead a backfield, but that’s what the G-Men signed Singletary to do. Adding Fournette could give Big Blue a nice change of pace in their backfield and provide them with some much-needed power for ugly yardage.
