The Giants’ re-signing of Orleans Darkwa to a modest one-year deal this spring was a blip on the radar compared to the splashes Jerry Reese made with Brandon Marshall’s free-agent acquisition and a blockbuster contract extension for Jason Pierre-Paul.
But Darkwa, 25, now is splitting first-team reps with presumed starting running back Paul Perkins and seeing even more work than usual with Shane Vereen hobbled and unavailable. And with Rashad Jennings gone and veteran Shaun Draughn (foot) also not practicing, Darkwa quietly seems to be challenging for a feature role.
“I’ve said this for years now: At the end of the day, my mentality is to want to be the starter on this team and be an impact player on the offense,” Darkwa said after Thursday’s practice. “That’s not gonna change. That chip on the shoulder is not gonna go anywhere. So I’ve just got to prepare myself like that and keep getting better.”
Darkwa, a fan favorite the Giants signed off Miami’s practice squad in 2014, has shown flashes of production as a runner in the two-and-a-half seasons and 33 regular season appearances.
He has averaged 4.01 yards on 71 carries as a Giant (285 yards) and scored four touchdowns. That included 10 carries, 53 yards and a TD in Week 3 against Washington last season, and 12 carries, 48 yards and the Giants’ lone TD in Week 4 in Minnesota.
He made his first two career starts in Minnesota and then in Week 5 in Green Bay when Jennings was hurt. Seven carries for 11 yards in Green Bay ended Darkwa’s strong stretch, and he was shut down after Week 12 and finished his season on injured reserve due to lower-leg soreness.
But coaches and teammates see Darkwa’s value as a hardnosed runner.
“(He brings) a toughness,” left guard Justin Pugh said of Darkwa as a runner. “He’s going to run downhill, he’s a straight line runner, one cut and go. No dancing in the hole. And as an offensive lineman, you appreciate that, because you’re straining your butt off to hold that defender off as long as possible. And you know Orleans is going to hit hard and that’s someone that you enjoy blocking for.”
At the same time, the Giants also have to be concerned about their depth at running back early on. Vereen is supposed to work back in on Friday but hasn’t practiced much, and Draughn hasn’t practiced once yet in camp.
So that leaves Perkins, Darkwa, rookie fourth-round pick Wayne Gallman and undrafted rookie Khalid Abdullah as the fresh bodies for now. McAdoo, therefore, has to keep an open mind when it comes to assembling his roster.
“This is an important time of year for running backs. Right now, we’re not as healthy as we need to be,” McAdoo admitted Thursday. “But we’re going to give all the reps we can to these young guys and give them a chance to win the job, and if they win the job so be it.”
Darkwa did get shaken up after one catch on Thursday on a huge hit by linebacker B.J. Goodson. But trainers checked him for concussion symptoms and he came out fine. “They checked me for a little bit,” Darkwa said. “But I’m OK. I’m good.”
