Whether he likes it or not, Devin Singletary will be compared to Saquon Barkley.
The new Giants running back reunited with Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll last week shortly after Barkley bolted for Philadelphia at the very start of the NFL’s free agency period.
Singletary, 26, spent three of his four seasons with the Buffalo Bills working under Daboll, who was the AFC East’s side offensive coordinator before making the jump to the head-coaching ranks with the Giants. He’s never rushed for 1,000 yards in a season — he’s coming off a career-high 898 last season with the Houston Texans — and hasn’t averaged more than 53 yards per game since his rookie season in 2019.
It’s not quite the All-Pro, electric numbers that Barkley put up when healthy.
“Saquon is great. Everyone knows that,” Singletary said. “I’m just happy to be a Giant. I’m looking forward to a great opportunity here, and I’m ready to get to work. That’s how I’m looking at it.”
Singletary, who will also be wearing Barkley’s old No. 26 with the Giants, has only missed just one game over the last four seasons and has averaged 4.6 yards per carry during that stretch. While Barkley had to contend with a porous offensive line, he averaged under four years per carry in two of the last three seasons.
The Giants have begun addressing those offensive-line issues early this offseason, bringing on Jon Runyan Jr. and Jermaine Eluemunor to potentially support a runner in Singletary that can be a slashing back with tackle-breaking abilities.
“I feel like I can do it all, to be honest,” Singletary said. “Whatever needs to be done, I feel like I’ve been blessed with the ability to do it all. That’s the best way I can sum it up… That’s what it really comes down to, me just being me, ready to help the team win any way that I can. That’s what I’m looking forward to.
“Smart, dependable. I’m a guy that’s always going to come into work. Great energy every day. That’s me being me.”
It still remains to be seen if Singletary will be the bellcow back of the Giants’ rushing corps, but if he can get carries at the same volume as Barkley had in New York, there is the potential for career years. Singletary has only eclipsed the 200-carry mark once in his career.
“Whatever I need to do to help the team win, that’s what I’m here for,” Singletary said. “If that’s being the lead back, if that’s being committee, whatever it may be, as long as I’m helping the team win, I’m cool with that.”
