When New York Giants fans hear the name Orleans Darkwa, they often reply by asking what ever became of him and why he’s no longer with the team.
Darkwa last played in the NFL in 2017, when he started 11 games, rushing for 751 yards on 171 attempts with five touchdowns. Then, he vanished from the NFL landscape.
Well, sort of.
The Giants, under new management, did not see the value in Darkwa and did not offer him a contract for the 2018 season. That October, while working out for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Darkwa tore his Achilles’ tendon, putting him out of action for six months.
Darkwa was back to full health in the spring of 2019 and had just one workout offer from an NFL last summer. That was from Cleveland and they chose not to offer him a contract. Neither did any other team, including the Giants — who could have used him after Saquon Barkley sprained his ankle — but instead, Darkwa ended up sitting out another season.
That could be about to change, per CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin:
Former New York Giants running back Orleans Darkwa hasn’t played an NFL game in three years, but with 2020 free agency fast approaching, the 28-year-old veteran is in touch with teams about a return to the league.
A source with knowledge of the situation tells CBS Sports that Darkwa’s camp recently informed teams the RB is fully healthy and medically cleared following a 2018 Achilles injury. There is confidence in league circles, meanwhile, that the one-time Giants standout will at least be in a training camp this summer, in part because he’s likely to cost a lot less than similarly experienced backup options set to hit the market at a time when many executives are increasingly wary of spending big at the position.
The Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots and Houston Texans are believed to be potential landing spots for the backup, but a league source also wouldn’t rule out Darkwa returning to the Giants.
How much could it cost for the Giants to sign Darkwa, or even just bring him in for a workout? I’m guessing not much. He deserves a shot and the Giants need backfield depth.
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