He’s in direct competition with Tyrone Tracy Jr. to be the lead workhorse for the New York Giants, but that hasn’t stopped Cam Skattebo from making a bold prediction about his fellow running back.
It’s a prediction that shows how Tracy is responding to Skattebo’s growing influence in the backfield. Skattebo spoke with reporters at training camp on Friday, July 31 and revealed “We’re going to be physical, we’re going to run hard. Me and Trace have had a lot of talks, you know, in the past 8 months of me being injured and coming back and, you know, I think, yeah, I think you’re going to see a little meaner side of him this year, too. So, I’m super excited to get the ball on the ground and, you know, see the physicality come out of all the guys.”
This is an interesting observation about a back who is the stylistic opposite to Skattebo. While the latter is all straight-ahead, brute force, Tracy is a slashing and thoughtful speedster.
Tracy’s desire to play with a little more nasty in his game shows Skattebo’s intensity is contagious. That intensity can prompt some foolhardy decisions by Skattebo off the field, but he revealed head coach John Harbaugh has intervened to set boundaries.
Harbaugh won’t want any restraints in the competition for carries. Two backs going at full tilt to outdo each other can only be good for a Giants’ offense set to be defined by its ground attack.
Tyrone Tracy Jr. Responding the Right Way to Cam Skattebo Threat
Tracy needs to take action to stay relevant in a running game many believe will be led by Skattebo. This offseason has been defined by predictions Skattebo will shatter statistical barriers and benefit the most from Harbaugh hiring veteran consultant Greg Roman to design a more power-based run game.
Each of those predictions have been validated by Skattebo being “first up during live drills at training camp the first three days, despite splitting first-team reps with last year’s leading rusher Tyrone Tracy Jr,” according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.
Skattebo being first choice gives him a head-start on impressing coaches in the new system. It’s why Tracy needs a little something extra to help make each of his rushes stand out.
Running with more aggression is a great place to start. Especially after Tracy only broke a tackle every 35.2 rushing attempts in 2025, per Pro Football Reference.
There’s obvious room for a 5-foot-11, 210-pounder to get tougher shedding tackles. Tracy can achieve that by showing greater determination to punish would-be tacklers.
GettyTracy needs to match Skattebo’s habit of punishing would-be tacklers.
Laying his own hits on defenders will help the former fifth-round pick match the smash-mouth style that makes Skattebo so popular. That same style is what Harbaugh and Roman want from a running game beefed up by bigger blockers like 300-pound ex-Baltimore Ravens fullback, six-time Pro Bowler Patrick Ricard, along with 2026 NFL draft first-round pick, guard Francis ‘Sisi’ Mauigoa.
Tougher running inside will help Tracy, but it isn’t the only way he can separate himself from Skattebo.
Niche Skill Can Decide Pecking Order for Giants’ Backfield
Being a converted wide receiver gives Tracy an edge over Skattebo when it comes to a niche skill set to be a bigger part of this season’s offense. The key change is inspired by new coordinator Matt Nagy.
Getting Tracy more involved in the passing games makes sense on a number of levels. Primarily because he’s a dynamic and versatile athlete who has topped 1,000 all-purpose yards every year since entering the pros in 2024.
Tracy knows how to get open and possesses the alignment flexibility to create matchup advantages. Like the one he exploited against aging middle linebacker Bobby Wagner to haul in a touchdown catch from Jaxson Dart against the Washington Commanders last season.
📺: FOX
Connecting with a consistent and prolific backfield receiver is one of the new wrinkles designed to make second-year quarterback Dart more efficient. It means Tracy could end up having greater three-down value than Skattebo.
The latter is no slouch as a receiver, having snagged 24 receptions and a couple of touchdowns as a rookie. Yet, Skattebo’s game will ultimately always be defined by how he batters defenses between the tackles.
If Tracy can learn to do the same, it will be tough for Nagy to take him off the field, and Skattebo might become a situational, short-yardage back. It’s one of the many fascinating scenarios for the most intriguing position battles for the Giants.
Giants RB Cam Skattebo Makes Tyrone Tracy Jr. Prediction