Tiki Barber: Barkley ‘a big back who wants to play small’
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — SaquonBarkley has a critic close to home.
FormerGiantsrunningbackTiki Barber said Tuesday that Barkley “mightnotbeanevery-downback” because“hecannotpassprotect.”
“He’s a big back who wants to playsmall,”Barbersaidon“Tikiand Tierney” on the CBS Sports Radio andTVNetworks.
“It is starting to become glaring. It’s probably the only issue he had to deal with coming into the NFL because he wasn’t asked to do it at PennState. Andyouseehimdiving ontheground,notstickinghishead in people’s chests.
“It’s gonna be a liability because people see it now. It’s on tape and it’s gonnacomeout.”
AsBarberknows, Barkley’s poor pass blocking already is aliability.
Last season, two failed Barkley pass blocks led directly to sack fumbles of Daniel Jones and opponents’ defensive touchdowns: in Week 8 against the Detroit Lions (Jarrad Davis hit, Devon Kennard return) and in Week 10 against the Jets (JamalAdamsboth).
Itshowedupagaininsomefailed blocksbyBarkleyinMondaynight’s season-openinglosstotheSteelers. That, combined with his tendency todanceasarunnerinthebackfield, prompted Barber to add Tuesday that Barkley is “a big back who wantstoplaysmall.”
“If you’ve watched him for the lastcoupleofyears,hedoesn’twant toblock,”Barbersaid.“Ilearnedthis earlyoninmycareerbecauseIwas a third-down back before I was a star running back, you know what Imean? If youcan’tblock, youcan’t beonthefieldonthirddown.
“Because you know those are high blitz and dog downs, and someone’s coming from the safety (position). Soyouhavetorecognize what a defense is trying to do and how they’re going to dog and blitz you. Recognition is one, and then two, you’ve got to gohit adude.
“Saquon Barkley’s a big man. He doesn’t want to hit anybody. It’s frustrating to watch. He’s also a great back, but he’s frustrating to watchtryingtopassprotect.”
It should be noted that Joe Judge and the Giants’ coaching staff are well aware Barkley needs to improveinthis area.
Infact, as the Daily Newschronicled during training camp, when Judge’s team did individual work, Barkley often was required to do pass-protection drills specifically, sometimes onhis ownone-on-one withanassistant coach.
Judge also demonstrated when he chewed out Barkley in front of theentire offenseonedaythatheis going to coach Barkley just as hard as anyotherplayerontheteam.
So you can be sure he’s receiving tough love inside the building as well.
But hearing it out in public from a former Giants standout running back — this bluntly — sure does drive the point home.
Judge, asked about Barber’s comments on Wednesday, said: “There’s not a player or a coach on our team that doesn’t have to improve going into Week 2, and then [keep doing so] consistently throughouttheseason.