Anyone surprised by John Harbaugh benching running back Cam Skattebo clearly hasn’t been following the New York Giants lately.
From the jump, Harbaugh made it clear that the players he inherited had a clean slate, and those who didn’t meet the standards — whether it was Tyrone Tracy Jr.’s cavalcade of errors or Darius Slayton struggling to adjust to Matt Nagy’s offense — wouldn’t stay in the starting lineup. Not even Skattebo, a fan favorite and established starter, escaped consequences after fumbling four times in five games.
You’ll likely hear plenty of speculation about the Giants trading Skattebo ahead of the Nov. 10 deadline, despite the significant risk involved. Objectively, though, the two sides parting ways long before his rookie contract ends has always felt inevitable.
Cam Skattebo has never felt like a long-term fit for John Harbaugh’s New York Giants
Harbaugh and Bill Belichick share a similar philosophy: Players can be eccentric as long as they produce at a high level and stay out of trouble. That’s why neither Rob Gronkowski nor Lamar Jackson ever found themselves in the doghouse; they were unabashedly themselves and consistently earned All-Pro honors.
In fairness to Skattebo, nearly every running back league-wide would lose carries if they fumbled four times in five games. We like Skattebo, but it’s remarkable that he’s still on the Giants’ 53-man roster, and it partly speaks to the overall lack of depth.
Let’s be honest: The New York media market also gives him a pass because he’s Cam Skattebo, not Joe Smith. People love his backflips and personality, and the fantasy of him as a top-tier contributor outweighs the reality that he’s always been best suited as a co-starter.
We’ve pondered whether the Giants will move on from Skattebo next year, either in the offseason or before final cuts. He’s under team control through 2028, missed most of last season with a serious leg injury, and Harbaugh didn’t draft him. Keep in mind that Tracy hits free agency after next year, and Devin Singletary and Najee Harris are both pending free agents.
Regarding the draft, we previously floated the possibility of the Giants drafting Florida’s Jaden Baugh, and ESPN’s Mel Kiper ranked him No. 14 on his big board. For what it’s worth, the Giants are on pace to have the No. 19 pick, and first-round running back picks are notoriously divisive. For every LaDainian Tomlinson or Adrian Peterson who elevates a franchise, you’ll get a Saquon Barkley or Bijan Robinson who put up phenomenal numbers for losing teams.
For now, the NFC East-leading Giants still have a viable path to the postseason. Whether they’re better off with Skattebo in the rotation or on the sidelines, though, is the magic question.
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