The New York Giants will have to make some difficult decisions this offseason on several key veteran players.
One of the key offseason decisions the New York Giants‘ must make is whether or not they bring back running back Rashad Jennings.The seven-year pro will turn 32 in March and is coming off a year in which missed three games this season due to a thumb injury.
That injury and the emergence of rookie Paul Perkins saw Jennings’ role dip as the season went on. He finished the season with 593 yards and scored just three touchdowns. His average of 3.3 yards per carry was the lowest of his career.
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Some of this was due to the Giants poor offensive line, but Jennings was not able to hit the holes quick enough. In fact, the only positive to take from his season was that he did not lose a fumble in his 181 carries.
Now, the Giants and general manager Jerry Reese are faced with a tough decision. Do they bring back Jennings to mentor Perkins and be his backup, or do they cut him?
Jennings is entering the final year of his contract and his cap number of $3,062.500 might be too high for a backup running back. Plus, the Giants will save $2.5 million if they decide to cut him.
Keeping him would go against the Giants youth movement that has been going on for the past few seasons. At the start of the 2016 season, Jennings and Eli Manning were the only skilled position players on the Giants that were over 30.
Jennings has a positive and professional presence in the locker room which is a plus. Former Giants head coach raved about him when the Giants signed him in 2014. But are his positives off the field enough to warrant another season with Big Blue?
Prediction: The Giants part ways with Jennings and will draft a running back in the mid or late rounds to go along with Paul Perkins and Shane Vereen.