The Cam Skattebo situation just got a little weirder in East Rutherford.
New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll gave what sounded like a decently optimistic update over the weekend, saying Skattebo’s hamstring injury was “a setback” but that the rookie was considered day-to-day. But not long after that quote hit the internet, the team reportedly hosted veteran running back Jonathan Ward for a workout and is now expected to sign him, per Jordan Schultz:
The #Giants are expected to sign veteran RB Jonathan Ward following a workout, per source.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) August 4, 2025
New York had been exploring options at the position after rookie Cam Skattebo (hamstring) and undrafted rookie Rushawn Baker (knee) suffered minor injuries. pic.twitter.com/dot4GfEesi
Related: Giants rookie is already putting the league on notice at training camp
Obviously, this doesn’t scream “Skatt is fine.” And considering he already missed most of the spring with another mysterious issue, this move is at least raising a couple of eyebrows.
Giants add depth with Jonathan Ward as RB injuries start to pile up
You can’t really blame the team for bringing someone in. Between Skattebo, undrafted rookie Rushawn Baker (knee), and Eric Gray (PUP), the bottom half of the RB depth chart has been getting chewed up before the preseason even kicks off. So yeah, signing Ward definitely checks the box as an easy insurance policy. But it’s the timing that makes it a bit tougher to gloss over.
Skatt walked off visibly frustrated after Friday’s practice and has yet to return. He’s already missed a considerable amount of time over the past week. New York can say “day-to-day” all they want, but when the next day comes with no update, and paired with a free agent signing 48 hours later, it starts to feel like there’s more going on here than they’re letting on.
Obviously, fans aren't going to get in-depth injury reports during training camp. It's not uncommon for injuries, especially minor ones, to not get a lot of attention, but that just makes us sweat even more.
Ward’s not going to come in and compete for actual snaps. He’s a soon-to-be six-year veteran with 22 career carries and has mostly lived on special teams. This is clearly a "let's make it out of the preseason" type of ordeal. But it still hints at something Daboll didn’t say out loud — that they’re not overtly confident in what they’re seeing from Skattebo’s recovery so far.
It also potentially opens the door even more for Devin Singletary to reclaim the RB2 role. He’s been getting first-team work, broke off a big run after Skatt’s injury last weekend, and already knows Daboll's offensive scheme. There’s a real path here where the team leans on the veteran early while Skatt plays catch-up.
And that’s fine. But let’s not pretend this Ward signing doesn't say nothing. It might not be a five-alarm panic, but it sure is starting to feel like a little more than a minor setback. Injuries followed by roster moves tend to mean something. By telling fans it's not seems like conflicting messages. Actions speak louder than words.