Members of the Tyrone Tracy Jr. fan club have no choice but to concede after his third and possibly final strike of 2026. The talented, albeit flawed, running back seems to have run out of goodwill with the New York Giants, though the Detroit Lions could use him.
Actions speak louder than words, as the saying goes. Slowly but surely, Tracy has fallen out of favor with the Giants, and his Week 1 fumble only exacerbated the problem. The club told us their patience has worn thin by signing ex-Dallas Cowboys back Phil Mafah to their practice squad less than 24 hours later.
Meanwhile, Lions head coach Dan Campbell said that Isiah Pacheco, who is already on injured reserve, will "miss a significant amount of time." The latter underwent a back procedure, and his status for the remainder of the season appears to be in jeopardy.
Put two and two together, and Detroit suddenly profiles as a logical potential suitor for Tracy's services.
Giants stumble into potential Tyrone Tracy Jr. trade suitor after Lions' Isiah Pacheco undergoes back surgery
Further intel from NFL Network's Ian Rapoport revealed that Pacheco faces a 12-week recovery and has "a chance" of returning "early in December." That leaves former UFL star Jacob Saylors and special teamer Sione Vaki to handle backup duties behind superstar tailback Jahmyr Gibbs. Not great, Bob.
Vaki has 13 career touches across two campaigns and one game into Year 3 in Detroit, and Saylors, who was once with the Giants, has two. In other words, neither has proven capable of being Gibbs' primary understudy, let alone stepping in as a replacement. Recency bias aside, Tracy would instantly be the most established and trustworthy No. 2 option.
There's no denying Gibbs is the Lions' unquestioned bell-cow; their rushing (and offensive) attack starts and ends with his elite playmaking. However, veteran bruiser David Montgomery has served as a complement, soaking up a large chunk of between-the-tackles work — until now.
Gibbs saw a career- and league-high 29 carries and drew five targets in Detroit's Week 1 win over the New Orleans Saints. He looked no worse for wear, yielding 186 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns. It's fair to wonder whether such a massive workload is sustainable, and the Vaki-Saylors duo leaves much to be desired, so why not try Tracy?
What Tyrone Tracy Jr. brings to the table
It shouldn't take more than a late-round draft pick to trade for Tracy. He's a hot-button player at a devalued position, and the G-Men have made their feelings on him impossible to ignore. His expendability has become obvious following Mafah's aforementioned arrival and the late-summer addition of Najee Harris.
At the very least, Tracy, a converted wide receiver, is a plus pass-catcher out of the backfield. In 2025, he ranked 20th among all RBs with 288 receiving yards and 22nd with 36 grabs. The Purdue product posted 9.1 yards after catch per reception, tied for 17th out of 52 options with at least 20 targets, including the playoffs.
When physically and mentally right, Tracy is so much more than a scatback. His versatile skill set has enabled him to make an impact on the ground or through the air. He became the third Giant to record at least 1,000 scrimmage yards in each of their first two seasons, joining Odell Beckham Jr. and Saquon Barkley.
The Lions got a taste of Tracy's dual-threat production when they faced the Giants last November. He racked up 130 total yards (68 rushing, 62 receiving) on 24 opportunities, proving he can function as a workhorse when called upon.
Note: Advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus' premium stats ($).
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