Don’t feel bad if you forgot that running back Eric Gray remains on the New York Giants’ roster. Even those who cover the team are amazed the fourth-year running back is still around.
The Athletic’s Dan Duggan acknowledged as much when previewing every Giants offensive player. Gray, a 2023 fifth-round pick, missed most of last season while recovering from a knee injury and, despite playing four games, didn’t touch the ball once on offense. All Gray did was return two punts, though one of them at least went for 26 yards.
“It’s hard to believe Gray is entering his fourth season with the Giants, considering how little [he] has produced in his first three seasons,” Duggan wrote.
Not even the most effective gauze could help heal that wound.
Is Eric Gray's Giants career finally over?
Brian Daboll must have had an incredibly soft spot for Gray, because it’s astounding that the team hasn’t cut him yet.
Forget Gray's 2.5 yards per carry in his first two seasons. We've seen teams cut running backs, even those on the standard four-year rookie contract, after a costly fumble.
Gray fumbled six times in his 34 games, and Daboll never reached a breaking point.
Respectfully, there is no reason for Gray to still occupy a 90-man roster spot. I find it difficult to believe that the Giants couldn’t have found a better option within the last 12 months, if not before then.
That’s not to say the Giants should have used a Day 2 pick on a running back this spring. Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Cam Skattebo are on their rookie contracts, and Devin Singletary’s contract restructure creates the impression he’ll likely make the Week 1 roster.
To their credit, the Giants signed undrafted rookie Damon Bankston earlier this spring. Bankston totaled 1,032 yards from scrimmage (635 rushing and 397 receiving) at Northwestern. He’d previously played at FCS Weber State, running for 1,259 yards and 27 touchdowns on 5.9 yards per attempt over 51 games.
But even if one of the Giants’ top three running backs gets hurt, Gray hasn’t done anything to even warrant factoring into the rotation.
Let’s see Gray prove us wrong, though. Maybe he’s a strong training camp and preseason away from proving himself to either the Giants or someone else. Perhaps Daboll, who is now the Titans’ offensive coordinator, would vouch for adding Gray either to the 53-man roster or the practice squad.
If so, who else is ready for the Eric Gray Revenge Game in Week 3?
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