New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. is learning exactly why NFL analysts always invoke the “what have you done for me lately?” cliché.
Tracy drew immense criticism for missing a block in last Saturday’s preseason loss to the Vikings. As a result, Minnesota safety Jay Ward sent Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart to the ground and, only moments later, to the blue medical tent for evaluation. The 2025 first-round pick passed the concussion test and quickly returned to the game.
But don’t take Dart avoiding injury as a sign that John Harbaugh and the Giants forgot about Tracy’s failed block. The first-year Giants coach called the play a “basic protection” and said there was “no way” that his young quarterback should have been hit.
Add in the Najee Harris signing, and you’ll understand why questions are mounting about a potential Tracy trade. USA Today’s Art Stapleton didn’t entirely dismiss the idea, though he believes that, as of now, Tracy will “clearly” make the Week 1 roster.
However, Stapleton hinted on his “All-In Podcast” that the Giants would consider trading the third-year running back if they can land help at defensive tackle or cornerback.
The New York Giants should absolutely not trade Tyrone Tracy Jr.
Well, not unless a team is open to giving up a mid-round pick in return. But with how many affordable running backs will likely become available following final cuts, why would a contender trade a fourth-rounder for Tracy?
If anything, Devin Singletary is the running back whose chances of surviving final cuts are seemingly dwindling. The former Florida Atlantic standout played only four snaps against the Vikings, though he turned a screen into a 40-yard gain. Singletary, who turns 29 in September, is playing on the veteran minimum after restructuring his contract.
Tracy flashed throughout his first two seasons and stands to benefit from Harbaugh’s love for a multi-running back system. Prior to last Saturday, there had been no indication that the Giants planned to give the lion’s share of the running back carries to Cam Skattebo, with Dart also keeping the ball on designated quarterback runs.
The question isn’t so much whether Harris is a better option than Tracy, especially after the former missed nearly all of last year with a torn Achilles tendon. In fact, Singletary and Eric Gray are arguably both safer options than Harris given the significance of such an injury.
What would trading Tracy accomplish? He has two years of team control left, so it’s not like he’s significantly impacting the team’s finances. Even if Harbaugh wanted to take a zero-strike policy regarding those who fail to properly protect Dart, you’d think that Tracy would have considerably greater job security than the fringe roster players.
Tracy is expected to play against the Dolphins on Friday night, giving him an opportunity to redeem himself and turn heads for the right reasons. But if he’s once again responsible for Dart getting leveled, then it’ll admittedly be hard to justify maintaining the status quo.
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