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.<\/p>\n
Injuries have been a constant for the New York Giants<\/a> 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\u2019t want to waste a golden opportunity to sneak into the divisional chase. The Dallas Cowboys<\/a> and Philadelphia Eagles<\/a> haven\u2019t played up to their potential thus far this season.<\/p>\n Giants fans believe having Saquon Barkley means there\u2019s no need for additional playmakers in the lineup. No question, he\u2019s the Giants offense, but head coach Pat Shurmur would love to find a complementary back to take some of the workload off Barkley\u2019s plate. And Ajayi would be the perfect addition to the roster.<\/p>\n Each week, it seems like the Giants are scrambling to put out quality players<\/a> at the skill positions to make life easier for rookie quarterback Daniel Jones<\/strong><\/a>. Barkley has been battling with a high ankle sprain, Wayne Gallman<\/strong> and Sterling Shepard<\/strong> are coming off concussion protocol and Evan Engram<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n No depth on the roster forced the Giants to start John Hillman<\/strong> against the New England Patriots<\/a> 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\u2019s regular-season performance didn\u2019t impress team management as the Giants released him following the signing of veteran Buck Allen<\/strong>. This move seems more like a stopgap rather than adding quality depth to the roster.<\/p>\n 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\u2019re going to need additional options besides Barkley and Gallman in the backfield to achieve this goal. A veteran like Ajayi understands he doesn\u2019t need to lead the team in carries to be effective. No, his job is to help Barkley carry the load and Ajayi\u2019s recent injury history won\u2019t limit Gallman\u2019s role in the offense either.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s a bruising runner<\/a> that allows Barkley\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s not forget that the former Pro Bowl back helped the Eagles capture a championship with a victory over the Pats in Super Bowl LII.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s imperative for the Giants coaching staff to recognize those favorable matchups against opponents and plug Ajayi into the lineup to capitalize on those situations.<\/p>\nNew York Giants Must Sign Jay Ajayi to Upgrade Running Game<\/b><\/h2>\n
Injuries at the Skill Positions Exposes Roster Depth Issues<\/h3>\n
Why Signing Ajayi Makes Sense<\/h3>\n
How the Giants Gain More Offensive Firepower With Ajayi<\/h3>\n