Unkindest Cut: New York Giants Running Backs
We continue our look at each position group on the New York Giants and which player of note on the roster could lose his spot.
With Saquon Barkley taking his talents to Philadelphia, the New York Giants' running backs room will be interesting this summer because it has many new faces vying for spots.
Devin Singletary, a free-agent signee, is penciled in as the lead back in the team’s new committee. Behind him, though, are questions as to how the rest of the reps could be divided up among draft picks Tyrone Tracy, Jr (2024) and Eric Gray (2023), undrafted hopeful Dante Miller, UFL star Jacob Saylors, and the “longest” tenured Giant of the group, Jashaun Corbin.
Corbin, a two-year veteran, was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Giants in 2022 out of Florida State. In his first summer with the Giants, Corbin led the team in rushing attempts (21) and rushing touchdowns (2) and was second in rushing yardage (73). As a receiver, he caught 14 passes for 76 yards, all stirring up some intrigue about this young prospect’s potential at the NFL level.
He also contributed four kickoff returns for 94 yards (23.5 yards/return) during the preseason.
Unfortunately, the numbers worked against him, and he missed the final cut, landing on the Giants’ practice squad, where he stayed until he was elevated to the team’s Wild Card game that year.
He returned to the Giants in 2023 on a reserve/futures contract, hoping to make the 53-man roster. Once again, he was productive in the preseason, finishing second in rushing attempts and rushing yardage (16 of 51) and scoring one of the team’s two rushing touchdowns that summer.
Corbin also added 30 yards on six receptions to his resume but had no kickoff return opportunities in the preseason. Instead, the Giants tried to force-feed that role on Gray.
But once again, Corbin missed the cut, as the Giants likely intended to sign him back to the practice squad. Instead, Corbin signed with the Carolina Panthers practice squad, where he remained until October 24 when, thanks to a growing number of injuries at the running back position, the Giants poached him off the Panthers practice squad for their 53-man roster, where he’d have just one carry for one yard.
This summer, Corbin is again facing unfavorable numbers at his position. The Giants figure to keep Singletary, Tracy, and Gray on the roster. That leaves the fourth spot (assuming the Giants keep four running backs) up for grabs among Corbin, Miller, and Saylors.
All three of those backs can give the Giants special teams snaps as a kickoff returner –Corbin (24 kickoff returns for 604 yards, one touchdown) and Saylors (36 kickoff returns for 973 yards) are the most experienced in that role from their college days. In comparison, Miller has just four kickoff returns for 63 yards.
Will there again be no room for Corbin, who has performed well enough to be in the mix in his limited preseason snaps over two summers but has just missed the cut?
The summer will need to play out, but if he does not make this roster again, the Giants might not be so lucky a second time in getting him back if the injury bug strikes again.
PATRICIA TRAINA
Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for over three decades for various media outlets. She is the host of the Locked On Giants podcast and the author of "The Big 50: New York Giants: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants" (Triumph Books, September 2020). View Patricia's full bio.