“I’m a playmaker like him,” Giants new RB Devin Singletary is unperturbed on replacing Saquon Barkley

Singletary was signed by the Giants to a three-year deal.

“I’m a playmaker like him,” Giants new RB Devin Singletary is unperturbed on replacing Saquon Barkley

Devin Singletary (via IMAGO)

One of the many nightmares for an NFL player is to be the replacement of an elite All-Pro player after they get traded. It puts them in a position where they face immense pressure to be just as good as the individual whom they are poised to replace. This off-season, as the New York Giants failed to retain Saquon Barkley after he moved to the Philadelphia Eagles, the team suffered a massive setback.

In order to replace him, the team acted quickly and signed Devin Singletary from the Houston Texans to a three-year deal for $16.5 million. He walks into a situation where all the eyes are on him.

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He literally has big shoes to fill with the departure of Barkley. Despite the challenge, Singletary is not afraid of the expectations of him,

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I've been in the league just like him...he's only been in the league a year before me...I feel like I'm a playmaker like him, so...I'm just gonna be me. It's been going well for me since I've been in the league, so that's what I'm gonna keep doing.
Devin Singletary told the New York Post

The optimism is good to have, however; the numbers have an entirely different story to say.

Devin Singletary vows to give his best to Giants fans and fill the void left by Saquon Barkley

In the last three seasons, Singletary has had 870, 819, and 898 yards rushing while scoring 7, 5, and 4 touchdowns respectively. Now compare that to Saquon Barkley, he has had 593 yards, 1,312 yards, and 962 yards rushing while scoring 2, 10, and 6 touchdowns respectively. Barkley’s 2021 season was short-lived after he suffered an injury and was unable to play the entire year.

Devin Singletary
Devin Singletary (via IMAGO)

Singletary has not had a 1,000-yard rushing season in his five-year career. Barkley on the contrary has had three 1,000-yard seasons in his six-year career. He does, however, have a better career average when it comes to yard-per-carry when compared to the now Eagles RB (4.6 to Barkley’s 4.3).

Despite these discrepancies, Devin Singletary does not want New York Giants fans to panic. 

You're getting a dog, you're getting somebody that's ready to work, and I'm gonna bring it week in and week out.
Devin Singletary added

Consistency is all that the Giants can expect, and it is what they will get out of him. The pressure of having the same impact as Saquon Barkley will remain, but as long as Singletary understands that he is a different player and comes with his own sets of strengths upon which he capitalizes, he should be just fine.

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