RUSHING IN
Ex-Falcons RB Freeman expected to sign with Giants today to help fill in for Barkley
Devonta Freeman is expected to sign with the Giants, and the veteran running back could practice with the team as early as today, according to sources. Saquon Barkley’s season-ending torn right ACL prompted the Giants to bring in the free agent Freeman, 28, for a visit and workout on Tuesday.
The expectation following that workout was that Freeman, who played his first NFL seasons for the Atlanta Falcons, would sign as long as he cleared the Giants’ coronavirus testing protocol.
He already had been tested twice by the Giants as of Tuesday morning, though, including a point of contact test the day of his workout. So if he officially signs before the Giants’ 12:30 p.m. practice, he could be on the field with Joe Judge’s team immediately.
That would be best for all parties since the Giants (0-2) need to get Freeman up to speed in their offense for Sunday’s Week 3 home game against the San Francisco 49ers (1-1).
If Freeman suits up, his first game as a Giant would come against his former Falcons offensive coordinator, Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan, who called the plays in Freeman’s only two Pro Bowl seasons in 2015-16.
Freeman would join a Giants roster with Dion Lewis, Wayne Gallman and Eli Penny in the backfield, and Rod Smith on the practice squad. Freeman has not been on a roster yet this summer or fall.
He bided his time and last weekend was in Philadelphia visiting with the Eagles, but they let him leave and shoot up I-95 to visit the Giants. The 5-8, 206-pound Freeman is a short but powerful runner who is effective when healthy.
He has a concussion history and played in only two games for Atlanta in 2018 due to foot, knee and groin issues. But he did play in 14 games in 2019.
Freeman has 3,972 career rushing yards, 32 rushing TDs, 86 career catches and 11 more TDs through the air. He projects to be the Giants’ lead early-down back with Lewis as a third-down complement.
On Tuesday, the Giants officially placed Barkley on injured reserve, and they signed corner Ryan Lewis off the practice squad
to fill Barkley’s vacancy on the active roster. When Freeman officially signs, the team will have to release another player.
The fact the Giants did not put wide receiver Sterling Shepard on I.R. on Tuesday might be a good sign that he won’t miss more than a week or two. Players who go on I.R. have to remain out for at least three weeks.
Shepard (toe) played just one play at the start of Sunday’s second half in Chicago after hurting himself late in the second quarter.
CLEAN SWEEP
Zero NFL players tested positive for coronavirus between Sept. 13-19 coming out of football’s opening weekend of regular-season games (Sept. 13-14).
The league and NFL Players’ Association administered 36,664 tests to a total of 7,845 players and team personnel during that span. None of the 2,438 players tested positive, and there were only five new positives among 5,407 personnel.
One NFL player was withheld from Sunday’s games “out of caution” because of a fever, per the Washington Post, though the player had tested negative for coronavirus the day prior.
This is worth monitoring as flu season and allergies arrive. Simple symptoms, even if the player tests negative for the virus, could compromise rosters for both practices and games. . . .
The Giants’ four practice squad protections this week are QB Cooper Rush, OG Chad Slade, P Ryan Santoso and LS Carson Tinker.