New York Giants are sending a clear message to player who has a lot to prove before start of 2026 season
The New York Giants signing RB Najee Harris is a very telling move that puts a player on blast following a preseason blunder.
The New York Giants signing running back Najee Harris to a one-year deal, and the timing of the move, feels far from coincidental. Coming off a poor preseason debut against the Minnesota Vikings, Tyrone Tracy’s roster spot suddenly looks far less secure.
Harris brings a recognizable name and serious production to a Giants running back room that lacked size and depth heading into the final stretch of camp.
Harris had 4 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons and 34 total touchdowns during his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Last season with the Los Angeles Chargers was cut short after just 3 games due to a torn Achilles, which is obviously significant. A 28-year-old running back coming off an Achilles tear paints a concerning picture, but Harris was never a burner in the first place. At 6-foot-1, 245 pounds, he won through physicality, patience, and grinding out short yardage. That profile fits perfectly with the Giants’ identity shift to a run-first team.
Tracy’s preseason performance raised red flags
The focal point after the Vikings game was Tracy’s missed block that allowed Jaxson Dart to get blown up by a free rusher. Dart is lucky he didn’t sustain a major injury, and that kind of mistake is an absolute no-no.
When you are on the field in a pass protection situation, picking up a blitzer, your attention cannot be diverted. Tracy didn’t just miss the assignment. He didn’t even make contact with Jay Ward, which makes it all the more damaging. Making contact and losing the rep is one thing. Allowing a defender to run past you untouched in a straight line shows a lack of preparation for critical moments.
Tracy’s work as a ball carrier didn’t help his case either. He finished with 2 carries for 5 yards, including one run for no gain. He looked lost and uncomfortable. For a player with his explosiveness and elusiveness, even a modest 10-yard gain with a few defenders left in the dust would have changed the conversation. That never materialized.
The Giants need Harris’s size and physicality
The Giants ran the ball at will during their first preseason game, rarely threw the football, and have spent the entirety of training camp operating under center with multiple tight end sets. This is going to be the new identity, and the current running back room didn’t have the body types to fully support it.
Cam Skattebo is trending toward becoming the clear-cut No. 1 back instead of sharing touches with Tracy. He showed, coming off an injury, that he’s capable of being the lead back. But at 5-foot-9, 215 pounds, he’s the biggest guy in the room. Tracy is 5-foot-11, 210 pounds, and Devin Singletary is 5-foot-9, 203 pounds as well. With both Tracy and Gray having recent injury histories, the Giants didn’t have a big-framed back who could spell the starter in short-yardage situations. Harris fills that void.
Before his Achilles tear in September, Harris had posted two of his better seasons averaging over 4 yards per carry with Pittsburgh. Who knows what his recovery has looked like and how he currently feels pushing off that repaired tendon. But the fit is obvious for a team that wants to establish a physical ground game.
Who gets pushed out?
It’s going to be an uphill battle for Harris to make this team. It’s not a guarantee. The initial thought was that Harris would box out Singletary, but Singletary made a strong screen pass against the Vikings that may have helped his case. The Giants are unlikely to carry 4 running backs with fullback Patrick Ricard already occupying a roster spot.
So the question becomes whether Tracy or Singletary gets pushed out in favor of Harris.
The Giants clearly felt they needed another body to make their new offensive identity work, and now it’s up to Tracy and Singletary to prove they deserve to be part of it.
