New York Giants Training Camp Position Group Preview: Running Backs

Can the running back group become more than a one-man band?

We're taking an in-depth look at the New York Giants position groups before the start of training camp--the battles, the players, the questions, and more.

Up first is the running backs unit.

Rostered Players

Matt Breida, Gary Brightwell, Jashaun Corbin, Eric Gray

(Saquon Barkley remains on the franchise tag, but because the tag isn't signed, he technically isn't part of the team.)

Position Overview

Running back was a vital part of the offense last season. However, it is difficult to say that the position group was vital. The team went as Saquon Barkley went. In the Giants' nine regular season wins, he averaged 104.6 yards per game. In the seven losses, he averaged 38.4 yards per game.

The other running backs on the squad had an insignificant impact on the season. Veteran Matt Breida was the second-leading rusher on the team, but he only carried the ball 54 times for 220 yards and a touchdown. He also grabbed 20 passes for 118 yards.

Gary Brightwell, a 2021 sixth-round pick, carried the ball 31 times for 141 yards and a touchdown, but he was nonexistent in the passing game.

Those stats don't compare to the 295 carries for 1312 yards and ten touchdowns Barkley compiled on the ground. His 57 receptions were tied for the team-high with receiver Richie James and his 338 receiving yards were fourth.

The team added rookie Eric Gray from the University of Oklahoma this offseason to the running back group. A fifth-round pick, Gray is Barkley-lite and could provide the team with a similar skillset to Barkley because the other backs are very different runners.

Breida is a straight-line explosive runner, Brightwell is much more a bull in a China shop, and Corbin can be a silky home run hitter. Together they need to be a more utilized unit, but taking a talent like Barkley off the field is difficult.

If the goal is to get to the postseason as healthy as possible, it may be smarter to have Barkley at a little over 200 carries and disperse the other 100 carries he had last season between the other backs on the team.

New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley (26) takes a snap in the fourth quarter. The Giants defeat the Bears, 20-12, at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in East Rutherford :: Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

Biggest Question Mark

Will this offense begin to transition to more of a running back by committee, or will it continue to be Barkley dominated?

Discussions of Barkley's long-term viability as a Giant have dominated the offseason. With the two sides having failed to reach an agreement on a multiyear deal, now comes questions about whether the upcoming season will be Barkley's last in Giants' blue.

Regardless, the Giants might want to consider reducing Barkley's workload this year, if just a bit, to help keep him fresh. One of the ways they can prepare for life without Barkley or just to lighten his load is to provide the offense with different dimensions.

In Year 2 of the offense, Breida should be able to add more value as a situational runner and pass catcher. Gray was drafted with the idea of being a developmental piece, and it will be interesting to see what Corbin will look like in his second season.

It feels like the team already knows what they have in Brightwell, so the question is whether he holds enough value for them to invest more touches.

All the backs offer value in an offense that should take another positive step dynamically with all the weapons added in the offseason. If Barkley is healthy and available, it is difficult to imagine the offense not running through him again.

If it's not broken, don't fix it, but definitely evolve it. That should be the motto for the Giants' offensive brain trust in 2023. That means more Barkley as a dynamic receiver instead of just him as a dynamic runner.

Key Training Camp Battle to Watch

Who will be RB2?

It is easy to say it will be Breida, but the truth is that he did not do anything to cement himself as the next in line. Now he will have the young guns biting at his heels to snatch up the opportunity to be the first guy off the bench. This seems to truly be a wide-open position battle.

Barkley won't be around in the preseason, and Breida may get limited touches as veterans are often afforded. This is the Giant's chance to showcase the rookie Gray. If he can show those dynamic traits that made him a force at Oklahoma, he might be able to jump the cue.

Position Unit Grade: A-

Any group that starts with a talent like Barkley--and he will be playing this season though it's fair to wonder about his Week 1 availability--will be highly graded.

The battle for the backup positions will not be easy to determine. Brightwell is a determined runner who is doubted at every turn but keeps showing up. Breida is not ready to go away, and the two youngsters will be eager to show they are ready for an expanded role. It should be a fun group to watch shake out.

Early 53-man Roster Projections

Starter: Barkley
Backups: Gray, Brightwell
Practice Squad: Corbin
Cut: Breida

It will be a youth movement at the position behind Barkley. Guys who could all also provide services on special teams as well as backup duties.

If people are questioning Barkley's age--he's 26 with an injury history--what are they thinking about a 28-year-old Breida, also with an injury history.

Gray and Brightwell could form a solid 1-2 backup duo since they bring unique skills to the backfield.

Corbin is the wild card. Will he flash those game-breaker qualities he showed at Florida State? If he does, that makes the battle for RB2 much more interesting. If not, he may be back on the practice squad.

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