O-Line Improvement
Barkley rushed for over 1,300 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. That is great for a rookie running back, not to mention he did it with one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL. The Giants offensive line was ranked 29th in run blocking and 20th in pass protection in 2018, per Football Outsiders. This reflected in Barkley’s stats, as he had 71 broken tackles (most of any running back). He was forced to make plays from nothing very often, and the o-line is the reason behind this.
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The Giants O-line was mediocre at best last season, but they have made some improvements, along with getting some of their guys back from injury last season. The revamped line for New York could lead to more holes and better production from Barkley.
The Giants received guard Kevin Zeitler from a trade with the Browns, and he is going to an instant upgrade at the guard position. They will also be getting center Jon Halapio back from injury. Halapio only played in two games before being placed on IR, but in those two games, he looked like the best lineman for the G-Men.
If Halapio can shake off the rust, he can be a key piece for the Giants O-line. New York also signed tackle Mike Remmers this offseason and he is expected to be the starter at the right tackle spot.
These three players are sure to make an immediate impact in the trenches for New York. Throw in Nate Solder and Will Hernandez, who both showed signs of improvement late last season, the Giants should feel good about their offensive line unit.
With an improved O-line, Barkley is going to reap the benefits, having more open holes and adequate blocking on screens as well. If Barkley played that well with a subpar offensive line, imagine the production he’ll have with a line has greatly improved from last season. That’s a scary proposition.