One of the biggest questions we face is New York Giants As the 2024 NFL season approaches, the team’s direction is becoming clear: How will they replace departed running back Saquon Barkley?
With Barkley rushing up Interstate 95 to Philadelphia, the Giants have a few options to fill the void at running back. Devin Singletary, the team’s free agent signing, will likely get the most opportunities, but New York has room for as many options as possible in the backfield.
On Thursday night, second-year running back Eric Gray asserted a larger role for himself.
meanwhile Report from Giants training camp Gray was vocal in his comments Thursday night, suggesting that rookies Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Dante Miller could potentially take the RB2 role. Detroit LionsThe Oklahoma native finished with 52 yards on four carries and two touchdowns, and also led the Giants with four receptions for 46 yards.
His biggest play was a 48-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter. With the Giants facing second-down and 10, Gray received a pass late from quarterback Tommy DeVito and showed off some characteristics on his way to the end zone.
What first catches your eye is his vision and explosiveness. Gray attacks the line of scrimmage, finds the right crease, takes a quick step to his right, and then runs through the line of scrimmage and into the Lions secondary. From there, he makes a great move on safety Morris Norris, fakes with another hard step to the right, then cuts back to his left. The move sends Norris crashing to the MetLife Stadium turf, and Gray smashes into the end zone for the game’s first touchdown.
The change of direction probably felt pretty good considering what happened between the two players during a joint practice earlier this week.
Gray scored his second touchdown on a one-yard rush late in the first half to give New York a 14-3 lead.
The touchdown run highlighted Gray’s vision, change of direction skills and explosiveness as a runner, but the Giants also had him in the passing game. As mentioned above, he caught four passes out of a team-high four targets. Two of those were screen passes and the third was a checkdown on a vertical concept, but this catch on a wheel/rail route definitely stands out.
When the Giants go for a long pass on third down, they employ a mesh concept with tight end Theo Johnson and wide receiver Allen Robinson running shallow passes underneath, while wide receiver Gunner Olszewski runs a “sit” route, checking the ball directly over the top of the two crossing passes.
Gray runs a wheel or rail route out of the backfield, releasing toward the sideline before charging upfield.
With the Lions in man coverage, linebacker Darron Gilbert is tasked with chasing Gray out of the backfield, but that task is complicated by Johnson’s route, which creates a traffic jam that Gilbert must avoid while chasing the running back. The route concept gives Gray some separation, but the running back needs to complete the play, which he does, tracking a pass from DeVito perfectly over his shoulder and catching it for a 24-yard gain.
When a running back has this kind of explosiveness out of the backfield as a receiver, it’s a good thing for the offense.
Gray after the match He said SB Nations Ed Valentine About his night.
“I just wanted to do my best.” He said“Like I said, I just want to be Eric Gray. I just want to be myself. Last year, I just wanted to make football bigger. At the end of the day, it’s football. I just want to be myself.”
Eric Gray practiced Thursday night against the Lions, and it just might be enough for the second-year running back to play a bigger role in New York’s offense this season.
