, with episodes released once a week. Barnwell joined ESPN in 2011 as a staff writer at Grantland. Follow him on Twitter here:
The bigger problem has been Barkley's performance with regards to moving the chains. Last season, he generated 64 first downs when a league-average back would have picked up 62. This season, he has only mustered 21, when a typical back would have picked up 29. That gap of eight first downs is the second-worst figure in the league; there's only player who has fewer first downs over expectation, and we'll get to him in a minute.
Unless he dramatically turns things around over the second half of 2023, it's tough to imagine the organization would change its mind and give Barkley a multiyear guarantee next offseason, so if he wants that sort of security, he will likely have to wait until 2025 or hope the Giants don't use the tag on him again this spring.RB Saquon Barkley sits down with ESPN to discuss his contract negotiations with the Giants and desire to"create a legacy" with the team.
Jacobs' growth from a nonfactor in the passing game into a valuable receiver is exciting, but it has been tough to watch his value in the running game crater. None of the other Raiders backs have gotten enough work to evaluate whether they're playing much better than the starter, but the traditional metrics and the Next Gen Stats figures paint Jacobs as a major disappointment, even when accounting for his line play.
Depending on how you view different metrics, Elliott has probably lived up to those expectations. His numbers aren't overwhelming, as he has turned 73 carries into 277 yards and 20 first downs, but the longtime Cowboys back has been far more productive than his younger counterpart. Elliott has been a slightly below-average back, generating minus-0.4 RYOE per carry while racking up one first down over expectation.against the Commanders on Sunday; he was at minus-1.0 RYOE through Week 8.