The New York Giants wanted to be a run-first team in 2026 under head coach John Harbaugh, but after six weeks, that plan has gone into the wastepaper basket.
The reason? They don't have a bell-cow back, and none of their four running backs have stepped up and taken hold of the job. The Giants are currently 22nd in the NFL in rushing with a 3.8 yards-per-carry average.
On Wednesday, Harbaugh basically lamented the fact that he's still waiting for either Cam Skattebo, Najee Harris, Devin Singletary, or Tyrone Tracy Jr. to take a leap forward and "claim the job."
"I would love for us to be in that kind of a circumstance. A Derrick Henry circumstance or a Saquon Barkley circumstance or whatever it might be," Harbaugh told reporters. "That would be great,
and we haven't. Our run game hasn't earned that yet, and none of those guys have."
All four running backs have had some issues. Skattebo, Tracy, and Harris have all seen snaps disappear after losing key fumbles. Singletary was brought back to be a change-up back and has been frequently inactive on game days.
The Giants wanted a big-time workhorse this past offseason but didn't find one in either free agency or the draft.
They could be in luck as the season nears the halfway point and teams are repositioning their rosters and salary caps for the future.
One player who could be in play is Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, a three-time Pro Bowler. The Colts are 2-4 and just fired general manager Chris Ballard. Rumors suggest a fire sale could transpire to make way for a rebuild.
From USA TODAY's Nate Davis:
The next guy (CEO Carlie) Irsay-Gordon needs to let go of is Jonathan Taylor – and before he breaks down, too.
The 27-year-old Pro Bowl running back currently ranks sixth in the NFL with 492 rushing yards, and his seven touchdowns are two off the league lead. He also presents a midseason reset opportunity, as Christian McCaffrey did for the Carolina Panthers in 2022.
Put Taylor on the block, and he might be the most coveted player on the market ahead of the Nov. 10 trade deadline. And if you’re thinking Taylor’s new contract isn’t movable after he signed a two-year, $44 million extension in August, think again. The Colts would only take a $10 million cap hit next year if they deal Taylor, given he has no guarantees in either 2027 or 2028.
What the Colts would want in return for Taylor is unknown. The bigger question is what the Giants have to offer. They don't have much future draft capital to part with, and they have few marketable young players they'd be willing to give up.
The Giants would have some leverage given Taylor's injury history, but not much. The Colts might be looking for a player on a rookie contract, and the Giants likely aren't looking to do that.
Not to save this season, anyway. The losses of Jaxson Dart and Brian Burns have put a crimp in any higher expectations they may have had heading into this season. They're not giving up, but it's still all about the future, and they can't sacrifice that for some meaningless short-term glory.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Should New York Giants pursue a trade for Colts' RB Jonathan Taylor?
