Don’t Overlook Tyrone Tracy in New York’s Backfield Committee

Look up the definition of “underrated” in the dictionary, and chances are you’ll find New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy’s photo next to the definition.

Okay, that’s a stretch, but the point is that Tracy has become something of an afterthought in the Giants' running game, this because he’s been swallowed whole by the larger-than-life and fan favorite Cam Skattebo’s field presence.

But Tracy, who admittedly got off to a rocky start as a rookie thanks to a ball security issue that saw him have five fumbles, quietly made some improvements across the board in his overall game.

Those improvements include better ball security (just one fumble), an increase in both rushing and receiving success rates, a better yards-per-carry average, and a better yards per pass target average.

While Tracy didn’t equal or pass his 2024 rushing yardage total of 839—he fell short by 99 yards—he also played in two fewer games than he did as a rookie due to an injury.

Tracy, who also has back-to-back 1,000-yard showings from scrimmage, will be up against Skattebo this summer to see who within that small committee gets the lion’s share of the carries.

Tyrone Tracy, RB

Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 210 lbs.
Exp.: 2 years
School: Purdue
How Acquired: D5-’24

2025 in Review

Tracy’s second NFL season started slowly but picked up in the second half, when he took over following Skattebo’s Week 8 season-ending ankle injury, Tracy becoming more consistently more productive.

He doesn’t have breakaway speed or a true power component to his game; the missing power element is a problem in pass protection, but he has good vision and enough quickness to get through creases.

Despite missing two games, he finished as the team's leading rusher with 740 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground. He also added 36 receptions for 288 yards and another two scores through the air.

A reliable special teams contributor as well, Tracy is an ideal rotational back who complements Skattebo incredibly well.

Contract/Cap Info

Tracy is entering the third year of his four-year, $4.306 million rookie deal. This year, he will count for $1.146 million against the cap, which is approximately 0.4% of the cap. That figure includes a $1.075 million base salary and his prorated signing bonus, for a total of $71,588 per year.

While it is highly anticipated that he will remain on the roster, if he were to be released, Tracy would be considered a post-June 1 transaction. This means the team would save his entire base salary and absorb the remaining two prorated installments of $71,588 this year and next year.

2026 Preview

The Giants are set to field what they hope will be the new “Thunder and Lightning” duo of Skattebo (thunder) and Tracy (lightning), with the occasional assist of the bruising Pat Ricard at fullback.

The early expectation is for Skattebo to have slightly more than half the carries, but in Tracy, the Giants have themselves someone with a receiver’s background who can be moved around the offensive formation to create mismatches.

Tracy’s strengths are a fit for third-downs and passing situations and two-minute offenses, so there will be plenty of work for him as he chases yet another season of 1,000 all-purpose yards. And let’s not forget that Tracy can return kickoffs, a role for which he’ll also throw his hat into the ring.

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