Devin Singletary Has Simple Message to Doubters

New York Giants RB Devin Singletary isn't Saquon Barkley, and he doesn't have to be for the Giants to have success in the running game.

East Rutherford, NJ -- August 1, 2024 -- Running back Devin Singletary practicing today at training camp for the New York Giants. / Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

New York Giants running back Devin Singletary knows who he is and is not.

Who he is not: Saquon Barkley, the one-time lead Giants running back who took his talents to Philadephia this offseason.

Who he is: Devin Singletary, a less flashy but still effective running back who can get the job done with the ball in his hands.

Singletary, who took over Barkley’s No. 26 jersey with the Giants, knows all about his predecessor.

Ever since he was selected as the second overall pick in the 2018 draft, Barkley instantly became the face of the Giants franchise. 

With the team barely giving its fan base much to be happy about, there was the charismatic Barkley with a smile that could light up Broadway, ripping off electrifying runs and making defenders miss him in open space.

Singletary, on the other hand, is the polar opposite of Barkley. He isn’t a man of many words and, as such is unlikely to hold court in front of his locker every week during the season as Barkley did.

What Singletary is is a man who prefers to do his talking on the field. 

Need a tough yard down by the goal line? Call his number. 

Need a guy to catch a flat in the pass? Hey, he’s ready. 

Want him to pass block? No problem.

The Giants are getting all that, plus a man whose character is equally impressive to that of Barkley’s and a player whose durability is much better than his predecessor’s–all of that on a three-year, $16.5 million contract with $9.5 million guaranteed, a $5.5 APY which is a bargain compared to the $12.583 million per year Barkley is getting from the Eagles.

What the Giants are getting is a man who means business.  

 “I’m coming to show you week-in and week-out how I put it on the line for my guys on the left and right of me,” the man nicknamed “Motor,” told Ty Dunne of Go Long.  

“I’m going to just go all out every time. You’re going to get the most out of me every time. They’ll find out soon enough.”

While Singletary has yet to notch a 1,000-yard season or earn a Pro Bowl, that doesn’t mean he’s a drop-off from what Barkly provided the offense. 

An argument could be made that Singletary offers better value.  Using a Pro Football Reference statistical metric known as “success rate,” which measures an offensive skill position player’s success rate in picking up at least 40 percent of the required first-down yardage, 60 percent of the second-down yardage, and 100 percent of the third- and fourth down yardage, Singletary’s career success rate for all four downs stands at 48.8 percent to Barkley’s 42.5 percent.  

Singletary also has topped Barkley in that same stat in the receiving game, currently holding a 45.9 percent success rate to Barkley’s 38.1 percent.

For Singletary, who has led every NFL team he’s been on in rushing yards since entering the league, it is all about business, and that’s what the Giants’ brass loves about him. 

“Motor is obviously as dependable as they come and can do the right things and be in the right spot,” general manager Joe Schoen told Dunne. “A true pro.” 

So yeah, Singletary might not be as flashy a runner as Barkley, but his message to those who still question whether the Giants' running game was downgraded thanks to the Brkley loss is simple: Singletary has a message for you.

“Stay tuned.”

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