Per Paul Schwartz of the New York Post, Tyrone Tracy Jr. could be on the outside looking in for a spot on New York's 53-man roster as the preseason winds down, following two costly mistakes in as many games.
Pair Of Rough Outings
Tracy's preseason has gone sideways fast. In the opener against Minnesota on August 15, he managed just two carries for three yards and failed to catch his only target.
He whiffed on a pass-blocking assignment in that same game. Things got worse Saturday against Miami, when Tracy rushed six times for 26 yards and caught all three of his targets for 22 yards, but lost a fumble in the red zone, his second consecutive game with a critical mistake.
Adding to the uncertainty, the Giants used Tracy on the kickoff team against Miami, a role assignment that raised its own questions about how the coaching staff currently views him.
Crowded Backfield Getting More Crowded
Tracy's timing could hardly be worse. New York already has Cam Skattebo, working back from a season-ending ankle injury but expected to reclaim the lead role, and veteran Devin Singletary in the mix.
The Giants also just added Najee Harris, who signed with the team on August 20 after visiting the previous week.
Skattebo and Harris both sat out Saturday's game against Miami entirely, meaning the backfield reps that did go around were shared between Tracy and Singletary, an early indication of where the coaching staff's priorities may lie once the games start to count.
None of this looked likely even a month ago. Tracy, a fifth-round pick in 2024, took over as Skattebo's backup last season and thrived once given the opportunity, recording 176 carries for 740 yards and two touchdowns to go with a 36-catch, 288-yard, two-touchdown receiving line over his final 15 regular-season games.
He's produced more than 1,000 all-purpose yards in each of his first two NFL seasons.
If cut, Tracy would qualify as a post-June 1 transaction, letting the Giants absorb his remaining prorated bonus money over two years rather than all at once, which would make a release relatively painless from a cap perspective.
With roster cuts approaching, Tracy has limited time to clean up the mistakes that have defined his preseason so far. His per-touch efficiency, a career 4.3 yards per carry and 7.7 yards per catch, still gives the Giants reason to want to keep him around.
