All eyes on Barkley
Saquon’s curious usage worth watching down the stretch
Saquon Barkley played a season-low 31 snaps in last week’s blowout loss to the Saints, including only four of the Giants’ 16 third downs.
Although he was pulled for a meaningless, 11-play final drive when the game was out of hand, leaving the field on third down has been commonplace for Barkley this season.
He said himself that “clearly last week my snap percentage wasn’t as high” in New Orleans.
And Barkley interestingly redirected questions about his recent lack of thirddown usage to Brian Daboll’s coaching staff, including offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, approaching Monday’s Christmas Day game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
“I think that’s a question [that is] better for Kaf and all those guys,” Barkley said Thursday. “I’m not making too much of it. No matter what, I have full belief in any of the guys that go in after me … Whenever my number is ready to be called, I try to make the plays that I’m able to make when I have the opportunity.”
Barkley even went as far as predicting publicly that rookie Eric Gray will play more the final three weeks, which seemed to indicate Barkley expects lower usage in those games.
“[Matt] Breida is a vet. I think Gray’s a really good rookie,” Barkley said. “I think you guys will see a little bit more of him, too. Like I said, I think he’s talented.”
Barkley’s usage and volume down the stretch are relevant particularly in connection to his future with the team. The Giants have the option to franchise tag Barkley a second straight time this offseason, or the two sides could decide it’s best that he tests free agency.
The Giants’ coaches have made it sound like they only take Barkley out when he’s tired.
Daboll said when Barkley “needs a blow, we put another guy in” and pretended not to know the stats on how often his best offensive player comes out on third downs. Kafka said something similar.
“I’d say we want Saquon out on the field as much as possible,” the Giants’ play-caller said. “Saquon will be out there until he needs to get out, until he needs a blow — he needs to catch his breath and get back out there. That’s really how we work out with him. He’s out there as long as he can until he needs a tap, and another guy comes in.”
Of Barkley’s third-down usage, Kafka said: “I think [it’s] just the usage on first and second down and then third down comes around, if he can stay in there, he will. If he can’t, then he’ll come out for a play and then the other guy will step up.”
But the numbers bear out that Barkley’s usage drops considerably on third downs.
He has played on 65.9% of the Giants’ first and second plays this season (432 of 656) and only 49.5% of third downs (105 of 212), according to Pro Football Focus.
Those numbers both would be higher if Barkley hadn’t missed three games due to injury, but the drop from first and second downs to third is still significant.
This is not the first time Barkley’s third down usage has been low during his career.
In 2021 under Joe Judge, due to pass protection struggles and injuries, Barkley played only 38.5% of the Giants’ 2021 third downs (94 of 244) compared to playing on 49.6% of first and second downs (408 of 823), per PFF.
In 2022, Barkley’s first season under Daboll, he played a whopping 70.9% of third downs (178 of 251) while playing in 16 games. That compared to playing on 77.7% of first and second downs (759 of 977), per PFF.
Barkley was on the field for two Saints sacks on his four, third-down snaps in New Orleans, one of which he was in the pocket in position to chip pass rushers. But he contended his pass protection is not and should not be a reason for his being out on third down.
“If Breida is going in there on third down, I feel confident that he’s going to make the protection,” Barkley said. “If I’m in there, I’m confident that I’m going to make the protection.
“I don’t think my usage of third down is a negative thing or them viewing it as me not being able to be in there on third down,” he added. “I think that I’ve shown that throughout the years and especially so far in my two years with them. But yeah, whatever it is, keep going with it and I’ve just got to find a way to make better plays. Especially in a big game coming up this week.”
It’s not just a question of Barkley’s pass protection, though. It’s also curious that the Giants don’t use him often on third downs as a receiver, even though he has made some impressive catches this season.
His lack of receiving opportunities is especially noteworthy in the context of last season’s contract negotiations. Barkley and the Giants had disagreements over his worth in part because there was a gap in their belief and ideal usage of him as a receiver.
Barkley even drew a connection last year from their bye week negotiations — when the Giants told him he was a downhill runner, and not a Christian McCaffrey type — to his 35 carries in the following week’s 24-16 home win over the Texans on Nov. 13.
Fast forward to Week 11 of this season, and Barkley caught four passes on five targets for 57 yards and two touchdowns in a win at Washington. One came on a first down. The other was a third down.
And yet the Giants haven’t thrown it to him more in subsequent games. He has only six catches on nine targets for 44 yards and no TDs in the three games since.
“Saquon will play as long as he can play,” Daboll said Saturday, when asked about Barkley’s usage and plans to increase Gray’s snaps. “I would say Saquon will be in there as long as he can be in there, and we’ll see where the other guys go.”