Tyrone Tracy’s pass-catching helping him lead Giants’ backup running back battle

If the Giants are planning to use the short pass as an extension of the running game in play-caller Brian Daboll’s offense, Tyrone Tracy Jr. might be the perfect fit. 

The rookie fifth-round draft pick appears to have the upper hand over Eric Gray and Dante Miller early in the training-camp battle to be the primary backup to starting running back Devin Singletary.

Perhaps that is because of Tracy’s five years spent as a Big Ten receiver before switching to the backfield and rushing for 716 yards and eight touchdowns at Purdue last season. 

“Wherever they use me, I’m going to try to do it to the best of my ability,” Tracy said. “But with all the short-yardage stuff — whether that’s a hitch or backs [coming] out of the backfield — I think that’s a little to my advantage because of my background. But we have a lot of different things in our playbook. That makes our offense really good.” 

Tracy said he has “picked up things pretty fast.”

What he doesn’t know, he can ask Singletary, who played in Daboll’s scheme with the Bills. 

“On offense … we put a high premium on intelligent players,” Daboll said of drafting rookies. “Knowing what to do [and] why it’s important.” 

Giants backup running backs rarely were called upon when workhorse starter Saquon Barkley was healthy in the past.

Singletary could be more like the lead in a committee. 

“It’s been fun learning new things,” Tracy said. “I’m still making sure I take care of the little details. …… how to take care of your body, how to come back and make sure you aren’t a repeat offender of the mistakes you made the previous day. Every day I’m learning how to be a running back, but more importantly I’m learning how to be a pro.” 

The starting offensive line in practice Friday included four offseason additions: LG Jon Runyan Jr., C Greg Van Roten, RG Aaron Stinnie and RT Jermaine Eluemunor. 

Projected starting C John Michael Schmitz (shoulder) has missed five straight practices, while RT Evan Neal (has not practiced) and OG/OT Josh Ezeudu (injured Friday) have seen their expected roles reduced since camp started. 

DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches has noticed the difference that Runyan and Eluemunor, in particular, are making compared to last year. 

“I love them in the run game right now,” Nunez-Roches said. “I feel their presence, very stout. They are communicating so well. Sometimes I used to get some moves. Right now, those moves aren’t working.” 

WR Darius Slayton’s workload was lightened Friday because he was feeling a little “tight,” Daboll said. 

It’s been a busy week for Slayton, who changed agencies and joined Athletes First ahead of the second walk-year of his career 

He signed a two-year, $12 million free-agent contract to return to the Giants in March 2023.

His five-week holdout of voluntary OTAs earlier this year as a way to leverage a pay raise resulted only in an additional $650,000 in hard-to-reach incentives being added to his contract.