Devin Singletary will wear Saquon Barkley’s old jersey, but he won’t try to fill his shoes.
The Giants struck a deal with Singletary to be their new running back, shortly after Barkley departed for the Eagles this week.
“Saquon is great, everyone knows that,” Singletary said Thursday. “I’m just happy to be a Giant. Looking forward to a great opportunity here, and I’m ready to get work. What it comes down to is me just being me, ready to help the team win any way that I can.”
Singletary wore No. 26 for four seasons with the Bills and one with the Texans. Barkley just vacated the Giants’ best-selling active player jersey.
“I had No. 26 since I came into the league,” Singletary said. “That’s the number I’m sticking with.”
Singletary signed a three-year, $16.5 million contract, including $9.5 million guaranteed, that pales in comparison to the deal that the Eagles gave to Barkley (three years, $37.5 million, $26 million guaranteed).
It’s more in line with what general manager Joe Schoen — who was part of drafting Singletary as Bills assistant general manager in 2019 — envisions paying for a running back on the positional-value scale.
Barkley averaged 98.8 yards from scrimmage per game and scored 47 touchdowns in 74 games for the Giants. Singletary is averaging 66.8 with 24 touchdowns in 78 career games.
“Smart, dependable, great energy every day — that’s me being me,” Singletary said.
The Texans expressed an interest in re-signing Singletary after he supplanted Dameon Pierce as the starter and rushed for a career-high 898 yards last season.
After Singletary bolted for the Giants, the Texans traded for Joe Mixon, who was about to be cut by the Bengals.
“I just wanted to be in a great situation more than anything,” Singletary said. “Once I found out that it was Giants, I was hyped.”
The Giants have been in the market to add another running back but are looking to place close to the league minimum, according to league sources.
Running backs Gary Brightwell, Jashaun Corbin, Eric Gray and Deon Jackson remain on the roster.
“Whatever I need to help the team win, that’s what I’m here for,” Singletary said. “If that’s being the lead back, if that’s being [part of a committee], whatever it may be.”
