Can Skattebo push for the starting job?
The life of a Day 3 running back can turn meteoric. From off the radar to in the spotlight, there seems to be one late-round back that burns bright every year. Some sustain their momentum, turning into Aaron Jones and carving out a respectable career as a starter. Most find themselves watching another back earn playing time until they settle in the middle of the depth chart.
New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. is attempting to establish himself as the former. He entered last year's camp as a passing-down back with a lot of refinement ahead of him. By midseason, he had taken Devin Singletary's job.
This time around, Tracy is the incumbent starter with a less-than-iron-clad grip on the starting job. Round 4 running back Cam Skattebo makes New York's backfield one of the most intriguing training camp battles of the summer.
Can Skattebo steal the starting job?
Tracy, unsurprisingly, will enter camp as the favorite to start. He ran 192 times for 839 yards and five scores as a rookie, exceeding every expectation between the tackles. His vision and footwork were better than anticipated, and he made a solid case to be an every-down back.
However, Tracy isn't the most physical back, and his pass protection is lacking, opening the door for someone to infringe on his snaps. So far, Skattebo looks to be making a strong first impression, both on the fans and his peers.
"Cam here is nothing but adding to what we got," Tracy told reporters on Tuesday. "I think that it's a great addition to the room. If you look around our room, there's really nothing anyone can't do. We didn't add Cam, just to do one thing. We added him because he's a good running back. You know what I'm saying? They didn't bring me here just to do one thing. They added me because I'm a good running back.
"So, at the end of the day, whoever's in there on third down, second down, first down, it doesn't matter what it is. You're going to produce, and that's the standard that we have in a running back room. When we go on the field and we get them opportunities, whether it's pass or run or even pass protection, man, make the play. There is no third-down back. There is no, you're passing-down back, whatever. There's not that in our room."
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Skattebo nearly hauled in a circus catch at the end of one of his first practices and has showcased the physicality that made him a cult hero in the months before the NFL Draft. His toughness will carve out a role for him, but it's his ability to develop into a well-rounded back that could catapult him.
#Giants RB Cam Skattebo breaks a long run here at camp pic.twitter.com/qgDT3BrIUO
— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) July 27, 2025
Skattebo's play strength will have the edge in short-yardage situations, especially in the red zone. However, Tracy is explosive and the backfield's preeminent big-play threat. According to Pro Football Focus, Tracy sported the eighth-highest rate of yards on runs of 15+ yards.
Skattebo's rise starts with being more effective on the early-down reps they share, and if he can create explosives, it's easy to see his size ultimately giving him the benefit of the doubt.
Tracy has the incumbent advantage, and as a former receiver, he might offer more on passing downs, too. Tracy suggested that there are no defined roles in the backfield, but this is a committee, with Skattebo entering as the second back ahead of Singletary.
He's already taking first-team reps, and it's worth monitoring just how much he encroaches on Tracy's territory in the coming weeks. Doing so could change both Skattebo's rookie season and the potency of the Giants' ground game in 2025.
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