Giants agree to terms with RB Devontae Booker on 2-year deal (Report)

Devontae Booker is headed to East Rutherford. The young running back has agreed to terms with the Giants.

The Giants have signed a new running back to back up Saquon Barkley.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, former Raider Devontae Booker has agreed to a two-year deal worth $6 million. Booker played in all 16 games for Vegas this past year and gained 423 yards on the ground with a trio of rushing touchdowns.

RB Devontae Booker agrees to terms with the New York Giants on a two-year, $6-million deal, per source. Booker with Saquon Barkley in the backfield.

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 16, 2021

With multiple running backs set to become free agents (Wayne Gallman and Alfred Morris), the Giants felt they needed someone to take on a backup role whenever Barkley requires a breather or if he suffers an injury (let’s hope the latter scenario doesn’t happen again).

Regardless, this isn’t the greatest acquisition the Giants could’ve made right now considering running back depth isn’t the first priority this offseason.

Booker has mainly been a backup throughout his five-year career, having only started seven of the 77 total games he’s played. He’s a decent pass-catching back; he caught at least 30 passes in each of his first three seasons (all of which were with the Broncos, who selected him in the fourth round of the 2016 draft out of Utah).

It’s not a big-time move, but it may confirm Gallman’s departure after four years with the team. Gallman has mainly been a backup running back for Big Blue but impressed many last year in the absence of Barkley, who tore his ACL in Week 2. The pending free agent rushed for a career-high 682 yards and proved he deserves a shot at a starting job in this league, something he’s not going to receive if Barkley is healthy and on the field.

Gallman likely won’t return unless the Giants offer him a decent amount of money, and given their current cap situation along with the need to re-sign Leonard Williams, Dalvin Tomlinson, and exterior free agents, it doesn’t look like the Giants will be able to keep him on the roster.

Expect New York to potentially add another running back with one of its two sixth-round picks in the upcoming draft. Buffalo’s Jaret Patterson or Oklahoma State’s Chuba Hubbard could be on the board that late and thus earn the chance to compete for a final roster spot prior to the regular season. Morris may additionally return on another cheap, short-term deal as well.