Who is Giants’ RB2? Young backs ready to show what they can do

The New York Giants’ running back room is different this year.

There is a No. 26, but that is solid veteran Devin Singletary rather than the flashy, too-often injured superstar Saquon Barkley.

There are, of course, backups. Instead of the veteran Matt Breida, though, there is a stable of young, exciting, unproven backs competing for roster spots and playing time behind Singletary.

The Giants will need one or more of Tyrone Tracy Jr., Dante Miller, and Eric Gray to be productive for them in 2024. Barkley had four season of 269 or more touches, including 352 twice, in six years. Singletary, who set his career-high in touches last year with 246 while playing for the Houston Texans, has never been the workhorse back Barkley was.

There are carries available.

Each of the three young players has received first-team opportunities this summer.

“These young guys have performed well when called upon and this will be an important preseason for all of them,” said head coach Brian Daboll.

That preseason begins Thursday night when the Giants host the Detroit Lions at MetLife Stadium beginning at 7 p.m. ET

Daboll will be watching the young runners for more than flashy runs or receptions — although those are certainly welcomed.

“Playing the running back position at the highest level you can and everything that goes along with it, protection, runs, routes, everything that goes into being a capable running back in this league,” Daboll said.

Let’s look at each young running back as they jockey to establish the pecking order in the Giants’ backfield.

Tyrone Tracy Jr.

Based on allocation of reps during practice, the fifth-round pick out of Purdue appears to have the inside track on the RB2 spot. Without having counted individual reps taken, Tracy seems to have garnered more first-team reps so far this summer than either Miller or Gray.

A converted wide receiver, Tracy was the 13th running back taken in the 2024 NFL Draft. Based on both talent and opportunity, some think Tracy could be this season’s most productive rookie running back.

Purdue running backs coach Lamar Conard told Big Blue View there is a “high probability” Tracy will outperform his status as the 166th player chosen in the draft.

“There’s things that translate no matter where you play at,” Conard said. “One thing for Tyrone that he does exceptionally well is he’s hard to tackle. From Pop Warner to high school to college. I know it’s a different level of athletes. The game’s a bit faster. But I wouldn’t put anything past that kid in terms of to continue to change his body, change his mind. He’s tough as nails, man.”

Tracy has shown the ability to run the ball, catch the ball, and return the ball.

“Whether it’s two yards, three yards, every play ain’t going to be a touchdown, but the biggest part is just making sure that you’re executing the play at a high level,” Tracy said. “You don’t know when you’re going to get the ball. You don’t know if the ball is coming to you or not. So if it’s not coming to you, okay, go block somebody, but if it is coming to you, get it, make a play. If it’s a 10-yard gain, great, but if it’s a two-yard gain, get those two yards and then live on to the next play.”

Thursday will be Tracy’s first NFL game, albeit a pretend one. He has, though, already noticed a difference when he goes up against front-line NFL players.

“First-team is just more disciplined. They know their job. They’re playing fast. They’re not really thinking much. They’re just out there on the football field playing fast,” Tracy said. “For me, I have to match their intensity, match their energy, make sure I know what my job is and do it well and do it at a high level.”

Tracy has no doubt about his ability to compete.

“I definitely belong,” he said.

“I believe I can play with anybody on the football field. I believe that I’m here for a reason. The Giants picked me for a reason, and I believe in my skill set.”

Early in training camp, before the Giants had practiced in pads, Tracy had a ball stripped by two-time Pro Bowler Brian Burns. He learned from the play.

“It’s different than college, to say the least,” Tracy said. “This level is different than college. They will get at the ball because the ball is the biggest, most important thing on the football field.

“Defenses, they’re going, they’re stripping, they’re clawing whatever they can to get the ball out. From my standpoint, I just have to be more careful and then also just be more aware how I’m carrying the ball, where I’m carrying it, and then just understand that when I have the ball in my hands, I’ll go make a play, but I also take care of it.”

So far, Tracy has not disappointed. We will see if that continues now that the games are here.

Dante Miller

‘Turbo’ deserves his nickname. He is fast! He ran a 4.27-second 40-yard dash at the South Carolina Pro Day, and the speed is noticeable. Some players just look different when they accelerate, and Miller is one of them.

His speed has shown up in the passing game, as he has run past linebackers to create opportunities for big plays. It has shown up in the run game, as Miller bursts into and through a hole in an eye-blink. It shows up in kickoff return, as Miller can quickly get on top of defenders who can’t move until a returner catches the ball.

Miller has barely played football the past two seasons. After a stellar career at Columbia, he carried the ball only six times in six games for South Carolina in 2022. He was ruled ineligible in 2023, news that he received too late to declare for the NFL Draft.

The NFL will always find room to give guys with blazing speed a chance. Despite the ups and downs of the past couple of seasons, Miller kept working for an opportunity.

“I believed in my hard work,” Miller said. “I feel like if you put the time in on something, then you’re going to get some sort of result. I’ve always had the utmost belief in myself.”

Because he practiced up until being ruled ineligible, then had to prepare for the College Gridiron Showcase, Miller said it’s “Not as long as you think” since he had played.

“People miss seasons all the time,” Miller said. “So, it’s not like I was off two seasons.”

Miller has dropped a few passes, including one from Drew Lock that would have been a long touchdown during Monday’s joint practice against the Lions. The ability to create explosive plays, though, is clear.

“I put good things on tape,” Miller said. “I’m not always perfect. What player is perfect? What always is there is my effort. So, it doesn’t matter if you put me at running back, receiver, gunner, corner, kickoff return, kickoff. You’re going to get my utmost effort. That’s something that I always want to display on film.”

Miller had a touchdown run of about 10 yards during a red zone drill Monday against the Lions, which he punctuated with a spike.

“Coach (RB coach Joel Thomas) told me, he said, if you score, spike it,” Miller said. “He said show some energy. So, I put a little bit out there on that one.”

Miller has shown plenty of energy and play-making ability thus far. If that continues throughout the preseason, he might force his way on to the 53-man roster.

Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images

Eric Gray

Gray is the veteran of the trio. He has a whole year of NFL experience after having been a 2023 fifth-round pick. His resume includes 17 carries for 48 yards (2.8 yards per carry), six receptions, seven punt returns and four kickoff returns.

His first year in the NFL wasn’t a great one. He was buried on the running back depth chart, and lost his role as the team’s primary return man due to ball-security issues as he fumbled three times.

As a rookie, Gray said “sometimes I was making football more than it was.”

“I think last year I had to get to myself where I was like it’s just football at the end of the day,” Gray said. “Whether it’s punt return, whether it’s kick return, whether it’s offense, whatever it is, it’s just football at the end of the day.

“So this year I’ve kind of been focusing on just being Eric Gray. Being Eric Gray and focusing on football is the same thing I’ve been doing since I was four years old.”

Gray felt that as a rookie he got hung up too much on the idea that it was the NFL.

“It’s a different league. People do this. People do this. It’s this and that,” Gray said. “It’s the same game I’ve been playing since I was four. It’s the same as that game. You put your pants on the same way. You put a helmet on, shoulder pads It’s the same as that game. The athletes are a little faster. Maybe a little bit more technically sound. But at the end of the day, it’s football.

“If you know how to play it, then you’ll play at a high level.”

A big difference for Gray this season is that he is not being used as a punt or kickoff returner. His job is to be the best running back he can be.

“You go into a game and you’re not so much thinking about kickoff, punt return. You’re focusing on offense plays,” Gray said. “You’re focusing on getting ready. When it’s third down, you’re not focused on going out there for punt. You’re focused on, let’s see what plays we’re going to run.

“Last year it was just getting used to it, getting used to the NFL, getting used to football. But it’s definitely a little easier for sure.”

Gray has perhaps not had quite as many first-team opportunities as Tracy and Miller thus far. Gray, though, said he feels “pretty good” about what he has done in camp thus far.

“For me, it’s just about being me. I believe that if I continue to be me, continue to do what I know I can do, then, the decision will be made,” Gray said. “And I don’t look at ones and twos. I just think about doing me. When I get in the game, be Eric Gray, and everybody will see.”