Tyrone Tracy Jr.’s position on the New York Giants’ running back depth chart is becoming one of the more intriguing roster battles of the 2026 preseason. What once looked like a promising opportunity for the young running back has become increasingly uncertain as the Giants evaluate their options ahead of the regular season.
Tracy entered the preseason with expectations after showing flashes during his first NFL seasons, but his performances have raised questions. In the Giants’ preseason opener against the Minnesota Vikings, a missed blocking assignment resulted in quarterback Jaxson Dart taking a brutal hit, putting Tracy under additional scrutiny.
The second preseason game against the Miami Dolphins initially offered Tracy a chance to respond. He looked more involved and appeared to be putting together a strong first half, but a costly fumble in the red zone has once again put his roster status and potential offensive role under the microscope.
Tyrone Tracy Jr. might face roster cut with NY Giants
The Giants have several options at running back like Cam Skattebo, Najee Harris, and Devin Singletary. As a consequence, Tracy could potentially become the odd man out if the coaching staff decides to prioritize other players.
Tracy’s situation became even more interesting before the Miami game because of a decision made by head coach John Harbaugh. The Giants used Tracy on the kickoff team, something that immediately raised questions about how the coaching staff views his role on offense.
Dan Duggan of The Athletic pointed out the significance of the move before the game, noting that the Giants’ top running backs had not previously been used on special teams during the preseason.
“I made the point during the week about the Giants top RBs not playing ST previously. Not a great sign for Tyrone Tracy that he’s on the kickoff team in the second preseason game. To be clear. I don’t think Tracy is getting cut. But I don’t think it bodes well for his offensive role that he’s covering kicks and coming in after Devin Singletary starts on offense.”
Tyrone Tracy needs to recover quickly after costly fumble
The special-teams assignment did not necessarily mean Tracy was headed for the roster bubble, but it suggested that his role could be changing. Instead of being viewed strictly as one of the Giants’ primary offensive running backs, Tracy may have to contribute in multiple phases to secure his place.
That became even more important after his red-zone fumble against Miami. Turnovers are particularly damaging for players competing for roster spots because they can erase otherwise positive work and give other running backs an opportunity to move ahead.
Tracy still has time to change the narrative before the regular season, and his talent remains difficult to overlook. However, the combination of the missed blocking assignment against Minnesota, the special-teams role in Miami and the costly fumble has created a concerning sequence for the running back.
