It has been a grueling year for Jay Ajayi. He has been rehabbing his left knee from ACL surgery, now Ajayi is ready to resume his NFL career. And you can expect his name to be associated with a number of teams in the coming weeks. The attraction is real as Ajayi could be a key addition to any team looking to change their fortunes in the running game. He is young (26) and could make an immediate impact in the right offense style.
Injuries have been a constant for the New York Giants this season, but they find themselves only one game out of first place in the NFC East. Eventually, they will field a full roster on the field, but you don’t want to waste a golden opportunity to sneak into the divisional chase. The Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles haven’t played up to their potential thus far this season.
Giants fans believe having Saquon Barkley means there’s no need for additional playmakers in the lineup. No question, he’s the Giants offense, but head coach Pat Shurmur would love to find a complementary back to take some of the workload off Barkley’s plate. And Ajayi would be the perfect addition to the roster.
New York Giants Must Sign Jay Ajayi to Upgrade Running Game
Injuries at the Skill Positions Exposes Roster Depth Issues
Each week, it seems like the Giants are scrambling to put out quality players at the skill positions to make life easier for rookie quarterback Daniel Jones. Barkley has been battling with a high ankle sprain, Wayne Gallman and Sterling Shepard are coming off concussion protocol and Evan Engram is still mending from a knee issue. Barkley is expected to return to the lineup this weekend, but others haven’t been given clearance to play yet.
No depth on the roster forced the Giants to start John Hillman against the New England Patriots last Thursday night. Hillman showed flashes of being a productive running back in the preseason. He averaged 3.2 yards-per-carry on 25 rushing attempts with two touchdowns in three games played. However, Hillman’s regular-season performance didn’t impress team management as the Giants released him following the signing of veteran Buck Allen. This move seems more like a stopgap rather than adding quality depth to the roster.
As we head into the second half of the regular season, the Giants may need to rely more on running the football than ever before. But, they’re going to need additional options besides Barkley and Gallman in the backfield to achieve this goal. A veteran like Ajayi understands he doesn’t need to lead the team in carries to be effective. No, his job is to help Barkley carry the load and Ajayi’s recent injury history won’t limit Gallman’s role in the offense either.
Why Signing Ajayi Makes Sense
Ajayi is the perfect in-season addition for the Giants, who desperately need depth at the running back position. A move of this nature makes total sense as he’s a bruising runner that allows Barkley’s role in the offense to expand. Ajayi is an effective ball carrier between the tackles as he gains yards (career average is 4.5 yards-per-carry) by running through would-be tacklers. His running style is perfect for short-yardage situations, but he still has enough speed to break a run free for a touchdown. If Ajayi has goal line success, then he becomes an instant fan favorite at MetLife Stadium.
Having both players on the field at the same time takes the pressure off the Giants using Barkley exclusively in the backfield. Now, they can move him out to the slot in certain pass formations, which also limits the number of unnecessary hits on his body. And let’s not forget that the former Pro Bowl back helped the Eagles capture a championship with a victory over the Pats in Super Bowl LII.
How the Giants Gain More Offensive Firepower With Ajayi
The addition of Jay Ajayi would be a welcome relief as the Giants need better production from their reserve unit. It puts the offense into more favorable scoring situations on the field. Having a more effective running game shortens the game clock for opponents, which offers the Giants a clearer path to victory. Ideally, Ajayi would need at least 10-15 carries per game for this formula to be successful. It’s imperative for the Giants coaching staff to recognize those favorable matchups against opponents and plug Ajayi into the lineup to capitalize on those situations.
Plus, Jones’ inexperience may require the Giants to run the football more as the passing game isn’t sophisticated enough to win games against better teams at the moment. However, Ajayi’s role diminishes if the offense is in too many third-and-long situations. Let’s not kid ourselves that the focus of the Giants offense begins and ends with Barkley, but don’t dismiss the impact of signing Ajayi could have to the Giants running game.
Signing Jay Ajayi gives them another option when the situation on the field dictates his use. You hope the Giants haven’t waited too long to add a proven commodity because a market will develop for his services.
