EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Jeff Nixon has spent most of the past quarter century working almost exclusively with running backs, including the past 12 in the NFL.
The 48-year Nixon has coached Reggie Bush and Christian McCaffrey just to name a few and he joined the New York Giants this year with the idea of working with Saquon Barkley, a fellow Penn State player.
As the Giants ended a two-day mandatory minicamp on Wednesday, Nixon has yet to work with Barkley. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 draft was franchised by the Giants in March and the two sides have yet to reach an agreement on a new long-term contract.
Since he has not signed the franchise tender offer, which would pay him $10.1 million in 2023, Barkley is not eligible to work out with the team.
Nixon has talked with Barkley since being hired to replace DeAndre Smith, who left after one season to take a job with the Indianapolis Colts.
Nixon described the 26-year-old as a great kid and a very talented player. He did not say what the two discussed and he said he would not discuss contract issues, referring to coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen.
“So I’ve watched a lot of football,” Nixon said. “And, he is a very, very exciting player. Yes. But again, I'm just excited about the guys we have here and I have been working with.”
Besides Barkley, the Giants have four other running backs on the roster — veteran Matt Breida, and youngsters Gary Brightwell, Jashaun Corbin and rookie Eric Gray. Nixon said they all can run and catch, but they have to be able to block to get on the field.
Barkley has been one of the league's top backs when healthy. He was the AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2018 when he rushed for 1,307 yards and 11 touchdowns and caught 91 passes for 721 yards and four more TDs. He followed that in 2019 with a 1,003-yard rushing season in a campaign marred by ankle injuries. He missed most of 2020 with an ACL injury and struggled the following year.
Last season was the return of the Barkley of old. He rushed for 1,312 yards and 10 touchdowns and caught 57 passes as the Giants made the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
Nixon said his coaching style is simply to work with the players to help him get better. It's looking for a weaknesses and working to fix them.
“Most guys at this level, they want to be coached,” Nixon said. “They want to know how you know, what they can do to be a better football player. And that’s my job as a coach to help them, give them those little things that can help them be the best that they can be.”
Nixon worked with Daboll for a year in Miami, when Daboll was the offensive coordinator. Back then, Daboll wanted his coaches to be honest with the players so they knew where they stood and had a clear idea what needed to be worked on. Nixon said that belief is in place with the Giants.
“I’ve coached some great ones, and the great ones are always trying to get better at something,” Nixon said. "They want to know, yeah, I rushed for 1,500 yards this year, but what are you going to do to help me stay on that track or rush for more? Or how are you going to help me become better at pass protecting or running a certain route.
“That’s our job, just to constantly try to keep getting those guys better,” Nixon said.
NOTES: The minicamp ended about 20 minutes early when a lightning warning sounded at the team's facility. ... Defensive lineman Leonard Williams said the neck injury that bothered him toward the end of last season has cleared up. No surgery was necessary. ... TE Daniel Bellinger, who bulked up in the offseason, said it was the result of better eating and more lifting. He said he is about the same weight as last year.
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