With the calendar turning to July, we are that much closer to the start of training camp for the New York Giants, who will begin on July 23rd in East Rutherford.
When you look at the current 90-man roster, there will be some decisions to make for both Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll, as they do every season when it’s time to get the team down from 90 players to 53 before the start of the regular season. There are a few players on the roster who could be potential cuts due to the depth chart, and some players simply are not good enough to keep up with their competition.
Tommy DeVito is one of them, but he’ll still receive opportunities due to his experience on the team and familiarity with Daboll’s offense. Joshua Ezeudu is another, but he could end up sticking as a backup option on the offensive line.
Eric Gray is another story, and one who is likely already on the bubble heading into camp. When Gray was drafted in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, it was during a time when Saquon Barkley wasn’t a guaranteed presence at training camp due to contract disputes with the team. Barkley ended up reporting to camp, but the team still worked Gray into some future plans.
Eric Gray might be the next recent draft pick that is left off the Giants' upcoming roster
Gray got some opportunities to not only play in his rookie season when Barkley got injured, but Gray didn’t exactly impress, and it was ultimately the veteran in Matt Brieda who got the primary carries as opposed to Gray. In 2024, the Giants lost Barkley to free agency, but added Devin Singletary and then drafted Tyrone Tracy in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Singletary started as the main back, but Tracy took over the starting duties with Singletary supplementing him.
As for Gray, he appeared in all 17 games in 2024, but he had just 14 carries for 32 yards and no touchdowns. How bad is that?
Three of the Giants' quarterbacks last season, in Daniel Jones, Drew Lock, and Tommy DeVito, all had more rushing yards than Gray did. Heading into the 2025 season, it doesn’t get any easier for Gray as far as where he lands on the depth chart and the pecking order goes.
The Giants added to their running back room in the 2025 NFL Draft when they selected Cam Skattebo in the fourth round, giving the Giants yet another option to go with Tracy and Singletary, which we said shortly after the draft that it didn’t bode well for Gray to begin with.
Even if the Giants don’t have a good season, Singletary could be a possible option to be traded at the deadline, which would still leave Tracy and Skattebo as the primary backs who will be expected to get the bulk of the carries in the offense.
Gray never really lived up to any of the hype and expectations that came with him when he entered the league. Gray was supposed to be a possible option to help with Barkley in the run game and was also a potential special teams option, especially as a kick returner. But neither has worked out for him and the Giants have already filled those roles on the depth chart where Gray could have had opportunities.
So again, where does that leave Gray?
Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like his future is with the Giants, leaving one of two options. The first is a possible trade option, as he is still under a rookie contract and could be an option for a team who needs depth due to injuries or a team who might want to give him an opportunity because they have the ability to.
The other is the one that seems most likely in August, which is being a roster cut when the Giants trim their roster from 90 players all the way down to 53. With the way the roster is shaping up and with the running back room set up the way it is for the 2025 season, Gray is likely looking at his last few months as a member of the Giants.