The Giants are releasing running back Najee Harris, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, whose report ESPN and NFL Trade Rumors both relayed. The Associated Press also cited a source. The reporting doesn't give a reason for the move. CBS Sports and Yahoo Sports both tie it to timing. They write that it came days after Harris criticized how the team was using its backs.
Pro Football Talk and Yahoo's matching summary say that on Sunday Harris expressed concern about how touches were being distributed in the ground game. CBS Sports' Jordan Dajani describes it as frustration over a limited role and a crowded backfield rotation in Week 6. The feeds we have don't include Harris's words, so we can't say what he said. Yahoo also framed the move as the Giants paring down their running back rotation.
The outlets differ on his final line. NFL Trade Rumors says Harris was listed as the Week 6 starter after the Giants moved to a committee, and that he had four yards on two carries in 11 snaps. ESPN says he started Sunday's 34-27 loss to the Saints with 2 yards on four carries. Our box score backs ESPN's figure: four carries, 2 yards, a long of 4. NFL Trade Rumors' yardage and carry count don't match it.
That game was the last in a season of declining use for him. Harris finishes with 31 carries for 99 yards, 3.2 per carry, with no touchdowns and one lost fumble, which came against Arizona on Oct. 4. He also has one catch for 5 yards. His best game was 52 yards on nine carries against Tennessee. In his last two games he had 9 yards on five carries at Washington and then Sunday's 2 yards.
The rest of the backfield was no more productive against New Orleans. Tyrone Tracy Jr. had six carries for 18 yards and a touchdown, and Devin Singletary had four for 14. New York ran only 20 times for 84 yards and threw 47 passes while playing from behind. The Giants gave up 175 rushing yards on 38 carries and committed four turnovers, three of them interceptions. Quarterback Jameis Winston, who replaced J.J. McCarthy, was responsible for two of the interceptions.
New York is 3-2 and leads the NFC East, but it has lost its last game and tied Washington 27-27 the week before. It visits Houston on Sunday, Oct. 25. The Giants' backfield will now be built from Tracy and Singletary, along with whoever the team adds. None of the reporting says what New York plans to do at the position.
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