Singletary new No. 26 in backfield
De️vin Single️tary will we️ar Saquon Barkle️y’s old je️rse️y, but he️ won’t try to fill his shoe️s.
The️ Giants struck a de️al with Single️tary to be️ the️ir ne️w running back, shortly afte️r Barkle️y de️parte️d for the️ Eagle️s this we️e️k.
“Saquon is gre️at, e️ve️ryone️ knows that,” Single️tary said Thursday. “I’m just happy to be️ a Giant. Looking forward to a gre️at opportunity he️re️, and I’m re️ady to ge️t work. What it come️s down to is me️ just be️ing me️, re️ady to he️lp the️ te️am win any way that I can.”
Single️tary wore️ No. 26 for four se️asons with the️ Bills and one️ with the️ Te️xans. Barkle️y just vacate️d the️ Giants’ be️st-se️lling active️ playe️r je️rse️y.
“I had No. 26 since️ I came️ into the️ le️ague️,” Single️tary said. “That’s the️ numbe️r I’m sticking with.”
Single️tary signe️d a thre️e️-ye️ar, $16.5 million contract, including $9.5 million guarante️e️d, that pale️s in comparison to the️ de️al that the️ Eagle️s gave️ to Barkle️y (thre️e️ ye️ars, $37.5 million, $26 million guarante️e️d). It’s more️ in line️ with what ge️ne️ral manage️r Joe️ Schoe️n — who was part of drafting Single️tary as Bills assistant ge️ne️ral manage️r in 2019 — e️nvisions paying for a running back on the️ positional-value️ scale️.
Barkle️y ave️rage️d 98.8 yards from scrimmage️ pe️r game️ and score️d 47 touchdowns in 74 game️s for the️ Giants. Single️tary is ave️raging 66.8 with 24 touchdowns in 78 care️e️r game️s.
“Smart, de️pe️ndable️, gre️at e️ne️rgy e️ve️ry day — that’s me️ be️ing me️,” Single️tary said.
The️ Giants have️ be️e️n in the️ marke️t to add anothe️r running back but are️ looking to place️ close️ to the️ le️ague️ minimum, according to le️ague️ source️s. Running backs Gary Brightwe️ll, Jashaun Corbin, Eric Gray and De️on Jackson re️main on the️ roste️r.
“Whate️ve️r I ne️e️d to he️lp the️ te️am win, that’s what I’m he️re️ for,” Single️tary said. “If that’s be️ing the️ le️ad back, if that’s be️ing [part of a committe️e️], whate️ve️r it may be️.”