The NFL trading deadline passed Tuesday afternoon, and the New York Giants, said to be aggressively pursuing big names, didn't make a blockbuster deal. They chose to, or, more likely, were forced to, stand pat.
One player they wanted badly was Indianapolis Colts Pro Bowl running back Jonathan Taylor. The Colts, however, weren't about to take less than their asking price, which the Giants reportedly wouldn't match.
The Giants will have to play out the rest of the season with their current running back group, led by the oft-injured Cam Skattebo and Tyrone Tracy Jr. It's not head coach John Harbaugh's ideal situation. He would have loved to have Taylor, a more reliable "bellcow" type back.
While Tracy is on injured reserve (IR) for a few more weeks,
Harbaugh will call on Skattebo to carry the load. Skattebo, who missed last week's win down in Philadelphia with a hamstring issue, told NJ.com's Darryl Slater on Tuesday that he's got this.
“You’ve seen what I can do,” he said. “When I come out, and I’m ready to play football, I can be one of the most dangerous backs in the league. Simple as that.”
That is true. Not only can Skattebo rack up solid numbers, but he can also soften up a defense and embolden the Giants' offense. That is not the issue. His reckless style and penchant for seeking out contact don't play well at the NFL level. Injuries have kept him off the field far too often for the Giants' liking, hence the need for a Jonathan Taylor.
Skattebo says there's no need to worry, but he sees why the team and the fans are leery about putting their faith in him going forward.
“I would be skeptical, too, if my running back was going for 60 yards a game and not really exploding out,” he said. “But I’m still getting comfortable, man. This is like my 13th game in the league...I’m not even through a full football season yet. I’m still learning how to play football in this league. You obviously can see I’m getting more comfortable as I play the game.”
It's actually his 16th game, but he's only started 11 of the 15 games he's dressed for since the Giants selected him in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL draft.
Skattebo was more well-rounded as a rookie last year, catching the ball out of the backfield as well as rushing with it. This year he's being asked to be more of a scrimmage runner. His last game, three weeks ago in Houston, was his best. He ran for a career-high 124 yards on 17 attempts, 7.1 yards per carry.
Skattebo has more than injuries working against him, however. He missed the second half of last season after suffering a devastating ankle injury and has fought his way back. This year, he has some nicks, but his biggest problem was ball security. Harbaugh benched him for a week after he coughed up the ball in a key spot and the Giants lost that week.
“The ankle injury is the ankle injury,” he said. “You deal with it for the next 10 years. It’s something that’s going to always be there. It’s something that you have scars in your mental from. But once you do the rehab and you’re continuously working on it, that’s the big key."
It has taken Skattebo some time after the rigorous nine-month rehab to get back into the swing of things. He says he's there.
“Probably the last three to four games, that’s when I’ve really started to feel more comfortable and the ankle has really not given me any issues at all. I’ve been able to go into the games feeling 100 percent me,” he said.
Skattebo is ready to take on the lead role for good, now. With the trade talk over, he'll have to carry the Giants on his back.
“I’ve been that guy,” he said. “Obviously, we had that one-week hiccup where I got in trouble (the benching). That was it. I came back that next week and handled business. They know what I’m capable of. They know what I can do.”
That is for sure. Now Skattebo has to show some other traits. Durability and discipline. If he can display those, the Gians could be in business.
They say sometimes the best trades are the ones you don't make. Skattebo is out to prove that.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Cam Skattebo out to prove New York Giants don’t need Jonathan Taylor
