Ahead of his eighth season, veteran New York Giants running back Devin Singletary has heard the talk about him as a potential cut candidate.
At least for one afternoon, Singletary did everything he could to silence the critics. The former Florida Atlantic standout had a 40-yard catch and a nine-yard run in Saturday’s 13-10 preseason loss to the Minnesota Vikings. However, he lost five yards on his other two carries.
FanSided’s Michael Haney nonetheless called Singletary one of the day’s “biggest winners,” citing the screen catch-and-run.
“Singletary is slamming the door shut on the Giants’ battle for the third running back spot,” Haney wrote.
Should Devin Singletary be the New York Giants’ No. 3 running back?
Singletary, who turns 29 in September, restructured his contract this past offseason and is making the veteran minimum. Although there is no indication that the Giants intend to trade or cut him, Singletary doesn’t feel like a lock to make the roster, either.
Yes, Singletary deserves credit for the long reception, but he remains poised to be a relative non-factor in the Giants’ offense. Cam Skattebo and Tyrone Tracy are the unquestioned top-two running backs, and Jaxson Dart will continue to factor into the running game. The preseason opener proved that neither John Harbaugh nor Matt Nagy is afraid to have Dart take off when needed.
If other teams show interest in acquiring Singletary, then the Giants should absolutely consider moving on from him. Besides being an experienced running back on a cheap deal, what value does he provide? He’s not a returner, nor do the Giants rely on him as a power back or added blocker.
It’s also worth noting that Brian Daboll, who coached Singletary in Buffalo, obviously isn’t around anymore. The signing made sense in 2024 because of the familiarity with one another, but Singletary hasn’t played for Harbaugh or Nagy. His receiving only four snaps in the first preseason game despite being healthy is concerning and telling.
None of this is personal towards Singletary, who is still capable of being a solid backup running back. But if the Giants don’t seem interested in giving him opportunities this summer, then why keep him around? It’s not like there’s a significant financial commitment that all but requires the Giants to suck it up for one more year.
As of Monday morning, it remained unclear how much the Giants’ starters would play against the Dolphins this coming Saturday. Skattebo had four carries against the Vikings, and Tracy had two before the backups entered.
The Giants already signaled they might be open to parting ways with Singletary. The team hosted former Steelers running back Najee Harris for a workout on Monday, though he had not been signed as of publication.
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