The best reason to believe Cam Skattebo and other New York Giants running backs can dominate in 2026 isn’t the team selecting guard Francis ‘Sisi’ Mauigoa 10th overall in the NFL draft, nor signing six-time Pro Bowl fullback Patrick Ricard in free agency. Instead, the franchise’s all-time leading rusher named the key scheme change that will benefit Skattebo most.
Giants great Tiki Barber explained to John Schmeelk of the “Giants Huddle” podcast for Giants.com why the hiring of veteran run-gam coordinator Greg Roman matters.
Schmeelk noted how Roman, who is a longtime ally of new head coach John Harbaugh, is “very creative in terms of putting a run game together, too. Like, you look at some of the stuff he did in Baltimore, you know, counter-trey, a bunch of pullers, a bunch of movement. This is not just like, all right, outside zone, inside zone, blah, blah, blah. Like there are guys moving all over the place. It’s going to be fun.”
The reference to having offensive linemen pull into space reveals how Roman will make the Giants more physical on the ground. It’s a schematic change that suits key personnel like Skattebo, expands the playbook and has Barber fondly remembering his own Giants career.
Tiki Barber Reveals Greg Roman’s Biggest Change
Barber, who rushed for 10,449 yards during 10 seasons with Big Blue, remembered how “when I was playing, I loved that all of my offensive linemen, literally all of them, could go out and run in front of me. Maybe Kareem McKenzie was not one to get, you know, eight yards down-, 10 yards downfield making blocks, but trust (me) Shaun O’Hara could do it. Chris Snee could do it. Richie Seubert definitely was doing it. David Diehl was absolutely in love with doing that, and so when you start being able to pull a tackle, as opposed to we can only pull our guards, it makes it so much more comfortable as a runner when you’re out on the edge and you have this massive size in front of you and you don’t have to, really, you don’t have to make a crushing block. You’re just, you get in the way of the defense and give me options of where I can get to.”
GettyBarber became the Giants’ all-time leading rusher running behind pulling linemen.
Moving away from zone-based rushing schemes is no-small change for these Giants, but counter and gap runs have long been the foundation of what Roman teaches. It’s why Harbaugh, who worked with Roman for the Baltimore Ravens for six years, recruited Mauigoa, Ricard and another former Raven, 6-foot-8 380-pound guard Daniel Faalele.
Mauigoa and Faalele are part of the Giants’ drive to get bigger along the interior of the trenches. It’s a necessary shift to make Roman’s schemes work because as Schmeelk put it, “the three guys inside last year, Tiki, were more technicians than they were maulers. I’d even put (right tackle Jermaine) Eluemunor in that category, really. Right? But Mauigoa’s a mauler, like, that’s a dude that can just move people, move a guy from point A to point B against his will, which is something we haven’t seen on this offensive line, aside from Andrew Thomas, who can move anybody. He’s fantastic, but we haven’t seen a guy on the interior at that skill level on this offensive line in a while.”
The Giants have committed to putting bigger, more aggressive blockers into the lineup. It’s a welcome change for the bruising style of running favored by Skattebo.
Cam Skattebo the Main Beneficiary of Giants’ Changing Run Game
Roman’s penchant for overloading the line of scrimmage with tight ends and blocking backs, combined with pulling linemen, can create the big runs Skattebo was missing as a rookie.
The Giants know how effectively this can work after Chargers’ running back Omarion Hampton burned them for a 54-yard touchdown run in Week 5 last season. Hampton’s path was cleared by pulling left guard Zion Johnson (77) and a tight end coming across in motion to deliver a crucial block in the hole.
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Roman has the personnel to replicate this concept, thanks to Mauigoa, Ricard and tight ends Isaiah Likely and Chris Manhertz. These Giants have been quickly rebuilt to operate a Roman offense based on bludgeoning defenses with smash-mouth football.
Skattebo will the be the key figure because of his straight-ahead power, so he has a good chance to break a meaningful statistical barrier. Yet, other backs in the rotation can also profit from Roman’s schemes.
Specifically, how the 53-year-old has historically shared carries between a rushing committee. Roman’s also mixed brute force with speed, a thunder-and-lightning dynamic ideal for slashing runner Tyrone Tracy Jr. and a forgotten Skattebo rival who still has game-breaking juice.
Imagine Thomas replicating this Roman-esque play that had now former Chargers’ left tackle Bobby Hart moving into space to spring Kimani Vidal for a 59-yard score.
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Concepts like these will form the foundation of the Giants’ new-look running game, while another adjustment from offensive coordinator Matt Nagy can get an “underutilized” back more involved as a receiver.
Roman’s running game is still going to be the engine of the revamped unit, provided Skattebo avoids putting his recovery from a dislocated ankle at any more risk off the field.
Giants Great Reveals Biggest Change for Cam Skattebo