HOUSTON -- Rashad Jennings is an obvious candidate to be a Giants salary cap casualty this offseason, but the veteran running back remains confident he will return for a fourth season with the team.
"I expect to be back," Jennings told NJ Advance Media on Monday evening outside Super Bowl LI Opening Night at Minute Maid Park. "And I definitely want to be back. I've got one more year on my contract, and I've got a lot to prove. I look forward to doing it in New York again."
Jennings only rushed for 593 yards on 181 carries with three touchdowns in 2016, and gave way to rookie Paul Perkins as the Giants' main back in the final weeks of the season. Jennings missed three games early in the year due to a fractured thumb, but he finished with 270 fewer yards than he had in 2015 (863) despite only having 14 fewer carries (195 in 2015). Jennings also averaged over a yard less per carry in 2016 (3.3 against 4.4 in 2015).
Jennings said he understands the Giants will still likely bring in added competition at running back if he return. He also realizes the reality the team could look to release him. If the Giants cut Jennings, they would save about $2.5 million in cap space this coming season.
Retaining Jennings would make sense for the Giants on some levels. He is an above-average pass protector and reliable with the football. The Giants may decide there is no place for him, though, given Perkins' emergence and the belief general manager Jerry Reese may target a running back in April's NFL Draft.
Veteran Shane Vereen is also under contract for 2017 (although he could also be a cut candidate), and the Giants will have the right to match any offer restricted free agent Orleans Darkwa may garner.
Still, Jennings said he exited his end-of-season interview with head coach Ben McAdoo feeling good about his future.
"The exit meeting was good. It was very upbeat. It was a good conversation with McAdoo, talking about how the season progressed," said Jennings, who is in town this week doing media appearances and work for his Rashad Jennings Foundation. He is also a finalist for the NFLPA's Byron "Whizzer" White Award, which be announced Thursday.
"He asked what things he can do better to capture the team even more. We exchanged some information about that, and he asked me, 'How do you assess yourself?'
"I said, 'Obviously, I didn't have the personal year that I trained for, the personal year that I worked for. I have a hunger and a desire to come back and prove that to myself, and my teammates. We left it off on a good note, I'm excited for the offseason."
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James Kratch may be reached at jkratch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JamesKratch. Find our Giants coverage on Facebook.