New York Giants: Does Paul Perkins have a home?

Running back Paul Perkins will need to establish himself under the new New York Giants management if he is to have a home on the 2018 roster.

Professional sports make for the ultimate “what have you done for me lately” businesses for players, coaches and front office figures, alike, and one could argue that is more true in the NFL than any other competition. After all, a lot can quickly go wrong across 16 games, and that period can cost multiple individuals on any losing team jobs months after they were praised and even adored by a fan base. Look at the 2017 New York Giants for examples.

It’s easy to forget about the story of New York running back Paul Perkins. The likes of Perkins and others were overshadowed by injuries sidelining superstar wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., and also by the disastrous conclusion to former coach Ben McAdoo’s tenure with the club that included the benching of two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning. You’d be forgiven if Perkins just slipped your mind.

Perkins entered last summer with promise and hype hovering over him. He averaged 4.1 yards per carry during his rookie season in 2016, he flashed athleticism and skill not seen on that portion of New York’s depth chart for some time, and he showed he could be a weapon in the passing game when used in such a capacity. The hope was that Perkins would prove himself to be a long-term starter last fall.

That did not happen. He was lackluster, at best, in the preseason and then in the first fourth of the campaign, and a rib injury cost him five games. When he did return to the lineup, Perkins found himself relegated behind Orleans Darkwa and rookie Wayne Gallman. By the end of the season, he accumulated only 90 yards on 41 carries, good for a paltry 2.2 yards per attempt. None of the main backs on the roster had fewer total rushes.

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Former New York running back Rashad Jennings thrust Perkins’ name into headlines when he spoke about the 23-year old to NJ Advance Media for a piece published on Feb. 13. “I encouraged him and molded him and let him know that he needs to see himself as the starter,” Jennings said. “I’ve seen spurts where he can be the workhorse of the team,” he added.

Perkins is about to begin the third year of his four-year deal. Per Spotrac, the dead cap value of his contract is essentially nothing for 2019, and it’s only $126,274 for the current year. In short, the Giants would lose little if the team deemed Perkins a failed experiment and moved on. Fans probably wouldn’t notice or even care if he was left off the depth chart come July.

Barring an unforeseen circumstance or occurrence, that won’t happen. Just as the Giants wouldn’t lose out on any significant money by cutting Perkins, keeping him around through the expiration of his contract won’t affect the team’s cap situation beyond roughly $694,000. New head coach Pat Shurmur should at least get a look at the back before making a decision.

Like other youngsters on the roster who underperformed during a lost season, Perkins should receive an opportunity to start anew under a head coach and front office he’s never played under before training camp begins. If, however, the Giants use the second overall draft pick on highly-rated RB Saquon Barkley, Perkins’ spot on the depth chart could become more complicated.

Those who remain optimistic about Perkins’ future with the Giants may point to the fact that Minnesota Vikings running back Jerick McKinnon reeled-in 51 of 68 targets playing in Shurmur’s offense last season, per ESPN.com. Perkins isn’t McKinnon in overall production — at least not yet — but the New York back has good hands and the ability to make defenders miss after receptions. It’s a safe bet Shurmur and his staff will notice this while watching film from Perkins’ rookie season.

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Of course, Perkins’ debut year is well in the past. It’s been 13 months since he accumulated 102 yards on 22 carries against the Washington Redskins back on Jan. 1, 2017. That game and that day is a distant memory for a Giants side that is vastly different today than it was one week away from a playoff showdown against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.

Perkins was never meant to be the feature back for the Giants or for any team. He wasn’t acquired with a first-round pick, nor was he paid millions of dollars in guaranteed money. That doesn’t mean he can’t become an impact-player if utilized correctly. McAdoo failed multiple aspects of the New York offense in two seasons. It’s on Perkins to show his former coach made a mistake.