New York Giants running back Paul Perkins remains confident despite many onlookers believing he’s a “forgotten” asset to the organization.
When the New York Giants drafted running back Paul Perkins in 2016, they were confident he could end up being their No. 1 guy. They weren’t wrong.
After Big Blue released running back Rashad Jennings, Perkins was the top back going into the 2017 season. Injuries have plagued him since. He’s only played in 11 games in 2017 and none in 2018. Many Giants fans actually have forgotten that he’s even on the team.
Now that the Giants have running backs Saquon Barkley and Wayne Gallman, Perkins has slipped farther and farther down the depth chart. That’s still not affecting Perkins’ confidence though.
“I don’t have the temperature of the fans or the media,” Perkins told Paul Schwartz of the New York Post this week. “The people that know I’m still on the team know I’m still on the team, so that’s all that really matters to me.”
Perkins may become the fourth or even fifth back on the roster at this point. However, the veteran says he’s still “blessed” to be a part of the organization.
“The organization, upper management really, looked out for me, kept me around, which is a blessing,” Perkins said. “I’m reminded of that every time I go out there, that they kept me out here. I got to prepare for it the best I can.”
Perkins will have the opportunity for the rest of OTAs, minicamp and training camp to make a name for himself. Of course, he won’t get the number of carries he may have gotten in 2016 or in 2017 before the injury. Perkins can still be a reliable asset to the team though.
The fourth-year man out of UCLA will need to prove it, as his roster spot won’t be guaranteed at the start of the regular season.
