Can Devonta Freeman save the Giants running game?

Is Devonta Freeman the right running back to replace Saquon Barkley on the Giants?

When Devonta Freeman signed with the New York Giants, it made perfect sense considering what happened to Saquon Barkley in Chicago. An ACL tear landed the former Penn State star on injured reserve prompting Big Blue to sign the former Falcons running back as both insurance and possibly to be their starter as they get set to take on San Francisco in Week 3.

The Giants are a bit fortunate as the 9ers will be without two of their best defensive players in Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas, both of whom joined a long list of players in Week 2 that suffered season-ending or sidelining injuries.

But there is one question that many fans in New York want answered: What can Devonta Freeman bring to the table for the Giants?

The answer is quite simple. Experience. Since being drafted in 2014, Freeman has worked his way from being an unheralded fourth-round pick to one of the game’s most recognizable players. In 2015, he broke out of a rookie slump and ran for 1,056 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Devonta Freeman offers the Giants a reliable veteran option.

In 2016, Freeman ran for 1,079 yards and was instrumental in helping quarterback Matt Ryan win the league’s most valuable player award en route to an appearance in Super Bowl LI, where they fell short in overtime to the New England Patriots.

Despite rushing for only 1,569 yards and nine touchdowns the past three seasons, a majority of that can be attributed to injury and the lack of incorporation with the Falcons system, which historically has been about throwing the football even in the days with Michael Vick and the times with Jamal Anderson before that.

Freeman may not be his 2016 form, but he is a reliable option for the Giants and there isn’t much else behind Saquon at this point, so why not? You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take and you have an established player now on your roster. Just go for it and see what happens.