The lesser-known Barkley may be making his mark soon.
In the meantime, Ali Barkley had some big news. The redshirt Temple freshman running back has plenty of positive vibes about his older brother in in North Jersey. The duo even works out together in the Meadowlands when the younger Barkley has a few free days.
“He is going to have a big year,” said the younger Barkley recently. “He has been able to rehab his injuries, and he feels and looks good. I’m excited about what he can do this season. I have worked out with him, and I can see a big difference.
“He is going to be the back he was in his rookie year.”
Ali Barkley’s prognosis is as credible as you can get, being it is coming from a family member. But we all have seen this scene before.
There is plenty of evidence that Barkley is chiseled and even leaner than he has been in his previous four seasons. Barkley has even taken to his Twitter account to provide photos.
New head coach Brain Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka have toyed with the idea of utilizing Barkley more out of the backfield than simply rely on him to be a 1,000-yard rusher. That’s probably the route they should take.
Barkley has consistently proven he can be a certified weapon swinging out of the backfield the past four years as opposed to his running the football. If Dabool wants to utilize Daniel Jones like he did Josh Allen in Buffalo, Barkley will work. The Bills didn’t truly feature a back who gained over the past few seasons.
This is Barkley’s walk year, as he will become an unrestricted free agent in 2023. His current salary is just over $7.2 million.
Those trade rumors to Kansas CIty, Arizona or Buffalo – yes, Buffalo seems to be the place to be now rather than New England with Bill Belichick – are still swirling in the Meadowlands winds.
They still have some boost behind them mainly due to Barkley’s biggest perceived weakness – his frailness.
Can Barkley endure the grind of being a lead back and be expected to grind past the 1,500-yard mark? His knee and ankle injuries over the past three years have raised some doubts. After a sensational rookie year, teams adjusted to his style.
Barkley also had the misfortune of enduring the Giants’ constant offensive line adaptations in front of him.
Still, the question remains whether Barkley’s injuries are fate or as a direct result of being a little brittle after his share of hits.
So far, the Giants are bracing for Barkley to be their answer in the backfield this fall. Do the likes of Gary Brightwell, Matt Breida, or Antonio Williams do anything for you if Barkley wasn’t there? Going with the trio isn’t out of the question for a team that won’t be close to a playoff run in 2022.
It’s true, the Giants are in a rebuild, and a 5-13 team this fall may not be the best situation for Barkley. He is still young, but he hasn’t shown that he can have a long shelf life until the Giants turn the corner to the land of prosperity.
Ali Barkley is looking to break through into Temple’s lineup this fall with a young core of running backs.
His brother hopes to have the same effect with the Giants. If not, the Buffalo bandwagon isn’t a bad stop, just colder than the Meadowlands. Yet, Patrick Mahomes or Arizona warmth may be more appealing.