Frustrated with a dismal rushing attack in the team’s opening loss against the Dallas Cowboys, the New York Giants turned to a familiar face to bolster their running game. On Tuesday, the team signed former running back Brandon Jacobs to a one-year contract (terms were not immediately disclosed).
That move came on the heels of an awful game by starter David Wilson, who fumbled twice and had only 19 yards on seven carries in the 36-31 shootout. Wilson was expected to play a big role with Andre Brown, but he didn’t look good in that first game and Brown is out with a broken leg.
It will be interesting to see what Jacobs brings to the table. We last saw him in limited action last year in San Francisco when he appeared in only two games and carried the ball a grand total of five times. In his last significant action with the Giants in 2011, Jacobs appeared to still have a bit left in the tank. His production was down, but Jacobs still managed nearly four yards per carry and eight total touchdowns with 571 yards.
The move isn’t half bad for New York. If nothing else, Jacobs will add a bit of depth. If Wilson or another back steps up that can share carries with him, that would be ideal. Expecting Jacobs to handle the bulk of the carries at this stage in his career may not be realistic. Having had success as recently as 2011, though, contributing isn’t out of the question.
