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John Harbaugh is ready to adjourn the Giants running back by committee.
He just needs someone — anyone — to step up as the chairperson first.
“I would love for us to be in that kind of a circumstance,” Harbaugh said. “A Derrick Henry circumstance or a Saquon Barkley circumstance, or whatever it might be. That would be great. Our run game hasn’t earned that yet, and none of those guys have.”
Oh, the irony.
The Giants had Barkley for six seasons but general manager Joe Schoen devalued bell-cow running backs and allowed Barkley to sign with the Eagles in a free agency dispute over less than $1.5 million per year. Barkley became the NFL Offensive Player of the Year and a Super Bowl champion.
Devin Singletary was signed cheaper and Tyrone Tracy Jr. was drafted in the fifth round to replace Barkley as a tandem in 2024. Then Cam Skattebo was drafted in the fourth round in 2025. Harbaugh added Najee Harris this summer.
That quartet combined for 14 carries for 34 yards against the NFL’s No. 30 rushing defense in a 34-27 loss to the Saints. The Giants rank No. 22 with 3.8 yards per carry for the season.
“It’s disappointing,” Harbaugh said. “I thought we’d be running the ball better at this point in time in terms of outcome and result, and we haven’t been able to do it. But we have to find it.
“We’re not blocking well enough. We’re not running well enough. We’re not putting up enough yards. We’re not putting up enough consistency. We’re not efficient in our run game. It’s not for lack of effort. It’s not for lack of trying. We’ve run the ball quite a bit. We’re not doing it at the level we really plan on doing to be the type of football team we want to be. We want to do it much more effectively than we have.”
Skattebo was surprised to see his role slashed so dramatically — from averaging 18 touches per game to zero on six snaps against the Saints — as punishment for fumbling four times in five games. Harris bemoaned that it is hard for backs to get in a rhythm when touches are split four ways.
“Understand it. Respect it,” Harbaugh said. “Also understand that that’s earned.”
Tracy scored two touchdowns — one rushing and one receiving — against the Saints.
“My advice would be … do the most you can with the opportunities you get and you’re sure to get more opportunities,” Harbaugh said. “Do something. So, I get it that you want to get out there and you want to get a rhythm, but that rhythm is earned, too, and it just hasn’t happened yet. Definitely want it to happen. A couple weeks ago, we kind of went that direction and the running game was no different than it was this last game.”
So, now what? Harbaugh has employed yearlong committees and ridden workhorses (Henry) with the Ravens.
“I know that each of the guys — because I’ve talked to all those guys — want to be that [No. 1] guy,” Harbaugh said. “They’re not advocating for the other guy to be that guy. They’re advocating for themself to be that guy. My advice is take the job when you get the ball.”