New York Giants fans were hoping this preseason would give them a reason to be excited about the team rebounding in 2026, only to quickly realize there's still a lot that can (and probably will) go wrong in year one under John Harbaugh. General manager Joe Schoen must've noticed it too, because he signed a veteran Tuesday at a position most folks would've thought was set for the year.
Former Pittsburgh Steelers and Los Angeles Chargers running back Najee Harris has reportedlysigned a one-year deal with the Giants, adding a fifth rusher to an already seemingly stacked room that features Cam Skattebo, Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Devin Singletary. Yet, one of those guys had a stinker of a game in New York's preseason debut against the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday.
Tracy missed two assignments in pass protection which exposed quarterback Jaxson Dart to a pair of painful sacks, one of which sent him to back the NFL's blue medical tent — a place he frequented in 2025 while missing two games with concussions. On tape, Tracy's blunders can't be excused away to good linebacker play; he was simply too slow and didn't identify the rusher.
Even worse on the all 22. I thought Tracy got faked but nope. DB with a B line straight to Dart. By the time Tracy recognized it it was too late. He doesn't even see him creeping. This was the 2nd missed block by Tracy, he missed a LB in the series prior. Teach tape! pic.twitter.com/s3y1UkixCd
— BigDashKnows ( Couch Scout ) (@BigDashKnows) August 16, 2026
Signing Harris, who stands two inches taller and is listed as 32 pounds heavier than Tracy at six-foot-one and 242 pounds, is a clear response to those mistakes. Skattebo showed an ability to bulldoze opponents despite his size, but he's also a concussion risk given his tendency to frequently lower his head. Harris will be deployed for one reason and one reason only: Protect Dart at all costs.
Giants' signing Najee Harris exposes easiest way to stifle QB Jaxson Dart
While the signing is a smart move on Schoen's part, it may actually make Harbaugh's job a little harder when game-planning. Dart is a mobile threat, but it's been obvious the team is trying to get him to stay in the pocket just a bit more to find an open man or slide immediately on scrambles. Adding Harris for pure protection detail is going to signal to defenses exactly what's coming on that down.
If you're an opposing linebacker or defensive back who's been assigned to either watch Dart's eyes or blitz off the edge, seeing Harris substitute onto the field will essentially be the biggest signal flag that New York called a passing play. The blitzer can either take his chances with Harris or back off to cover the throw and take away a part of the field. The DB, on the other hand, doesn't have to move from his spot as he'll be right where he needs to be if Dart rushes or decides to throw to a crossing receiver.
The next question will be who gets cut from the running back room. At the moment, 2023 fifth-round pick Eric Gray has been bumped to the RB5 spot, but the team reportedly plans to cut veteran wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster to make room for Harris on the roster. That feels like a worthy transaction in the grand scheme of things, especially with how well Odell Beckham Jr. appeared to play against Minnesota.
Protection is key for quarterback longevity, but it may come at the expense of a whole section of New York's playbook this season. You'd hope that was considered by Schoen and Harbaugh, and there's a solution in the works. Otherwise, one of the Giants' best assets could lose a whole dimension to his style of play.
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