German_Force » Running backs drop by ‘Valentine’s Views’ podcast"

WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections New York Giants NewsGiants Training Camp 2016Giants vs. Eagles 2015 Daniel Jones New York Giants Jersey , Week 17Big Blue View RadioNew York Giants NewsDraft hopefuls Qadree Ollison, Ryquell Armstead tell us what they will bring to NFL New,7commentsRunning backs drop by ‘Valentine’s Views’ podcastESTShareTweetShareShareDraft hopefuls Qadree Ollison, Ryquell Armstead tell us what they will bring to NFL Qadree OllisonCharles LeClaire-USA TODAY SportsWould it really be a crazy idea for the New York Giants to use a middle- or late-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft on a running back? Chris has been profiling draft prospects and each time he has touched on a running back much of the reaction can be summed up this way: “A running back? Waste of time! The Giants have Saquon!”On the most recent edition of the ‘Valentine’s Views’ podcast we addressed the topic of whether or not the Giants might benefit from using a draft pick to supplement the running back position. We also talked to a couple of those mid- to late-round draft hopefuls, Ryquell Armstead of Temple and Qadree Ollison of Pitt. Armstead is The Draft Network’s 17th-ranked back in the 2019 draft class, and Ollison is No. 24.So, would the Giants be crazy to draft a running back?I don’t believe they would be. They currently have nine picks in the draft, with seven of those coming in Rounds 4-7. Once compensatory picks are announced, they could have 11 picks — with nine of those in the final four rounds.I see no reason why they couldn’t, or shouldn’t, use a Day 3 selection on a running back. If they find a spot where a running back is the highest-graded player on their board I would have no problem with adding one.We all can see how good Barkley is. We all know he will get the vast majority of the running back touches, as he should. He can’t, however, play every down. When he isn’t in the game, or if the unthinkable happens and he gets hurt, the Giants should want the best possible depth behind the 2018 Offensive Rookie of the Year.Wayne Gallman is a nice player. He is an adequate backup who can both run and receive decently. He is not, however, a dynamic play maker. His longest run in 162 NFL carries is 24 yards. The longest of his 48 receptions went for 21 yards. At 6-foot, 210 pounds, Gallman doesn’t fit the description of a powerful short-yardage runner, either.If the Giants can find a player with a middle- or late-round pick who can add either power or breakaway ability as a runner or receiver to add depth behind Barkley Youth Phil McConkey Jerseys , no one should have a problem with that. Adding good players and building depth at any position is never wrong, because injuries happen and you never truly know what your needs will be during the season.Ryquell ArmsteadChuck Cook-USA TODAY SportsArmstead and OllisonArmstead is a 5-foot-11, 215-pound back who gained 1,098 yards on 210 carries for Temple in 2018 (5.2 yards per carry). The Millville, N.J. native also pulled a Nikita Whitlock, doubling as a part-time linebacker and registering a sack in 2018. Single-digit uniform numbers at Temple are reserved for team leaders, and Armstead wore No. 7.Ollison had 1,000-yard seasons for Pitt as a freshman and as a senior. The only other Pitt backs to have multiple 1,000-yard seasons are James Connor, Tony Dorsett, LeSean McCoy, Dion Lewis and Curvin Richards. The 6-2, 230-pound Ollison has played some fullback, H-Back and is an experienced special teams player.Please give the full show a listen below.Where to subscribeYou can find and subscribe to Big Blue View radio from the show’s home page.You can find all the shows on our Big Blue View Radio Hub Page.You can also find the shows and subscribe on all your favorite podcast apps:Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Pocket Casts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSSFinally, be sure to check out the home page for all of the shows across the expanding Vox Media Podcast Network. There are a handful of changes since the last time we did this" New York Giants NewsGiants Training Camp 2019New York Giants pre-training camp 53-man roster projectionNew,59commentsThere are a handful of changes since the last time we did thisEDTWith New York Giants veterans reporting for training camp on Wednesday let’s update our 53-man roster projection.I will be honest here. I am absolutely not sure what to do with offensive line depth, mostly because no matter how I have tried to configure it I don’t believe it’s good enough. Next, you will see that I have only three safeties on the roster. I think the Giants need four, but until we get to camp and preseason games — or the Giants sign Tre Boston — I don’t know who the fourth could be.Offense (25)Quarterbacks (3)Starter: Eli ManningBackups: Daniel Jones, Alex TanneyNo change from the spring.Tanney threw the ball well all spring, and the Giants obviously like what the 31-year-old brings to their quarterback room. As a non-threatening No. 3 quarterback he can be useful to both Eli Manning and Daniel Jones.Kyle Lauletta? His spring start was slowed as he recovered from knee surgery Phil McConkey Jerseys Stitched , and it didn’t pick up a whole lot. He was fourth in the quarterback pecking order during the spring, and I’m really not sure he can move up from there.The big story at quarterback, of course, is when — or if — Jones will take over for Manning at some point this season. This Manning-Jones story is going to dominate training camp coverage of the Giants, but in my view it probably should not.Coach Pat Shurmur can phrase it any way he wants — competition, not a competition, yada yada — as long as he is healthy Manning is starting Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys.Where things get interesting is during the season, especially if the Giants play poorly. It is hard to imagine the Giants going through the entire season without getting Jones at least some meaningful playing time.Paul Perkins in 2017Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY SportsRunning backs (4)Change: Gallman outStarter: Saquon BarkleyBackups: Rod Smith, Paul PerkinsFullback: Elijhaa PennyThe surprise here, at least to me, is that I think Perkins takes a job away from Gallman. In the spring, I had five running backs making the roster. The more I have thought about it, though, considering how few touches there are likely to be for the players behind Barkley, I think it’s hard to justify using that many roster spots on running backs.Why Gallman, Barkley’s backup last season, as the odd man out? One reason — I have a hard time getting past Gallman’s five fumbles in 210 career touches. At minimum, the job of a backup is to not hurt his team when he gets opportunities. A fumble every 42 touches simply isn’t good enough.Perkins can run the ball, catch it and is a capable pass blocker. After a year on IR, I just have a suspicion he earns a spot on the team.I’m also keeping even though the 235-pound Smith has fullback size and played the position at the beginning of his career. The Giants have emphasized that they want to be a running team, and if that’s going to be the case I have a hard time seeing them try to do that without keeping a true fullback on the roster.Tight ends (4)Starters: Evan Engram Youth Mark Bavaro Jerseys , Rhett EllisonBackup: C.J. Conrad, Scott SimonsonChange: Simonson inI have Conrad, an impressive undrafted free agent out of Kentucky, making the roster. In my last projection I had the Giants keeping only three tight ends. That, though, feels thin. The Giants employed 12 personnel (two tight ends) 24 percent of the time in 2018. So, Simonson is in.Also, I speculated recently that Ellison could be on the roster bubble. I believe that to be true, but I also believe odds are pretty good that he is part of the 53-man roster.Wide receivers (6)Starters: Sterling Shepard, Golden TateBackups: Cody Latimer, Corey Coleman, Darius Slayton, Russell ShepardThe more I watched the wide receivers in spring practices the less I worried about the receiving group without Odell Beckham Jr.Sterling Shepard and Tate are good players, and in OTAs and mandatory mini-camp Eli Manning was getting them the ball regularly. Cody Latimer was good all spring. Corey Coleman should be better with a full offseason and training camp to learn the playbook, and his speed is undeniable. Rookie Darius Slayton rebounded nicely from a rough first practice of rookie mini-camp. The speed and potential are obvious.In the spring I had Fowler making the roster ahead of Russell Shepard. I wasn’t completely sold on my own prediction, though, and have changed it. Shepard isn’t going to give the Giants a lot as a receiver, but his importance on special teams is hard to overlook. I think it gets him a roster spot.Offensive linemen (8)Starters: Nate Solder (LT), Will Hernandez (LG), Jon Halapio (C), Kevin Zeitler (RG) Mark Bavaro Jerseys Stitched , Mike Remmers (RT)Backups: Spencer Pulley, Chad Wheeler, James O’HaganChanges: Evan Brown, George Asafo-Adjei out; O’Hagan inObviously, I’m not really sold on the depth here. For now, I have O’Hagan, a UDFA from Buffalo, beating out Brown. I have Asafo-Adjei landing on the practice squad.I have a hard time believing the Giants are really sold on Brown, since they never bothered activating him for a single game last season. Asafo-Adjei is right tackle only, and I think the Giants might end up trying to get him to the practice squad. Honestly, I’d like to keep more linemen than this, but I’m recalling that the Giants generally only dressed seven on game days a season ago.If I’m GM Dave Gettleman I’m scouring the waiver wire for veteran castoffs during the preseason to bring in as depth players.Defense (25)Defensive linemen (6)Starters: Dalvin Tomlinson, B.J. Hill, Dexter LawrenceBackups: R.J., McIntosh, Chris Slayton, Olsen PierreChange: Added Olsen PierreAfter spring workouts I left Pierre off the final 53 because he was held out of practice during OTAs and mini-camp. The more I have thought about it, the Giants can’t go into the season with only two backups who have six games and 65 snaps worth of experience. So, I’m adding the former Cardinal to the mix.Loreenzo Carter tackling Cam Newton.Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY SportsEdge defenders (4)Starters: Lorenzo Carter, Markus GoldenBackups: Oshane Ximines, Kareem MartinNo changeI have thought at times that the Giants might choose to move on from Martin and take the $3.275 million in cap savings Color Rush Darius Slayton Jersey , but right now I don’t see anyone else stepping up and taking that fourth edge spot. Martin is an adequate player, and his experience in James Bettcher’s defense is a plus.Inside linebackers (5)Starters: Alec Ogletree, B.J. GoodsonBackups: Tae Davis, Ryan Connelly, Josiah TauaefaChange: Tauaefa in, Nathan Stupar outAfter spring practices I wasn’t willing to make this move. I think, though, Tauaefa could end up being a guy the Giants want to keep around. They used a big chunk of their UDFA budget to get him. I will go out on a limb here and say he justifies that move.Cornerbacks (7)Starters: Janoris Jenkins, DeAndre Baker, Julian Love (slot)Backups: Sam Beal, Grant Haley, Corey Ballentine, Antonio HamiltonI have Love eventually overtaking Haley to be the slot corner. I have added special teams gunner Antonio Hamilton.Safeties (3)Starters: Jabrill Peppers, Antoine BetheaBackups: Michael ThomasI really want to keep a fourth safety, but right now I don’t know who that would be. The obvious choice is Sean Chandler, but he was held out of spring practices. I need to see him healthy. If he is, Chandler probably makes the roster and Ballentine could be ticketed for practice squad duty to start the season.Special teams (3)Punter: Riley DixonPlacekicker: Aldrick RosasSnapper: Zak DeOssieUnless injury dictates a switch somewhere in here, there is no reason to make any changes to this group.