The New York Giants currently have eight running backs on their 90-man roster, including free agent addition Dion Lewis and undrafted rookies Javon Leake and Sandro Platzgummer.
The unit is, of course, led by superstar Saquon Barkley, and boasts depth with Wayne Gallman, Jon Hilliman, George Aston and fullback Eli Penny. However, the team simply can not carry all of these backs into the season.
While some will ultimately land on the practice squad (see: Platzgummer), the Giants will have no other choice than to cut a few loose, and ESPN’s Bill Barnwell expects Gallman to be among those who draws the short straw.
One of the final draft picks remaining on the roster who was selected by former general manager Jerry Reese, Gallman has averaged an even 4.0 yards per carry as a runner while fumbling six times on just 250 touches. His special-teams role has dissipated, and after the Giants signed Dion Lewis to serve as the receiving back behind Saquon Barkley, Gallman’s path to touches has as well.
New York didn’t draft any running backs, but Gallman doesn’t have a role on the roster.
Gallman was once considered a potential starter in East Rutherford, but he rapidly fell out of favor with former head coach Pat Shurmur and his staff, finishing the 2019 regular season on the bench.
In fact, Gallman has seen his playing time and production dwindle in each of the previous two seasons after gaining 699 yards from scrimmage and scoring one touchdown as a rookie.
In 38 career games (5 starts), Gallman has totaled 1,146 yards from scrimmage with five touchdowns, but he mustered just a 60.9 Pro Football Focus grade in 2019.
Gallman currently has one year and $825,000 remaining on his contract. If released, he will account for $104,912 in dead cap.
