The Green Bay Packers found themselves in the market for a running back as starter Josh Jacobs was placed on the Commissioner's Exempt List. Alas, the club landed on the wrong Plan B, considering the other potential options out there, namely the New York Giants' Tyrone Tracy Jr.
A less-than-stellar preseason and the late-summer arrival of veteran Najee Harris seemingly rendered Tracy expendable for the Giants. History suggests Jacobs could serve a lengthy suspension due to an off-field incident in due course, and an outright release can't be ruled out. Put two and two together, and you get a pair of trade-compatible teams — or so we thought.
Instead, the Packers acquired disappointing second-year pro Kaleb Johnson from the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Tracy did just enough to stick on the Giants' 53-man roster. That's an interesting turn of events, to say the least.
Frankly, it's unclear whether New York was ever legitimately willing to part ways with Tracy. Their actions and his recent struggles suggest he could've been available, though, and Green Bay profiled as a logical hypothetical destination. Hindsight is 20/20, yet Johnson feels more like another question mark than the viable Jacobs alternative Tracy presented.
Packers might regret gambling on Kaleb Johnson instead of pursuing Giants' Tyrone Tracy Jr.
There's no reason to sugarcoat it: Tracy's had a rough go of things this summer. However, he ended on a high note with a nice showing in the Giants' 23-6 exhibition finale win over the New York Jets.
Paradoxically, Tracy's efforts against the hometown rival Jets both made him a more attractive asset and helped quiet the outside noise. He generated 37 yards and a touchdown on four carries in what some speculated would be his final game with the G-Men. The Purdue product looked explosive and ran hard, albeit in a small sample size, with nearly half of his output (16 yards) coming after contact.
Tracy's track record deserves some benefit of the doubt, too, especially for a Green Bay squad in limbo as Jacobs' situation unfolds. The former is on the short list of RBs to clear 1,000 scrimmage yards in each of the past two seasons, which also includes the latter.
A converted wide receiver, Tracy, who turns 27 in November, has also posted back-to-back campaigns with at least 35 receptions, displaying a well-rounded playmaking skill set. He was (and still is) a proven commodity worth adding.
It's worth mentioning Tracy exited the Giants-Jets tune-up with what appeared to be a head/neck injury. Fortunately, he eventually returned to the sideline in a T-shirt after a brief trip to the locker room and was ostensibly in positive spirits. His night was done despite avoiding serious damage; the 2024 fifth-round pick suffered a stinger, per head coach John Harbaugh (h/t The Athletic's Dan Duggan).
Nevertheless, Harris notably got the first tote versus the Jets while fellow Giants backup tailback Devin Singletary was rested. Tracy got the nod and was on the field for the opening drive, but was out there as a returner for the initial kickoff too. Context matters, and particularly in this case, it highlights the Packers' possible missed opportunity.
Kaleb Johnson doesn't address Packers' RB problem like Tyrone Tracy Jr. could've
One man's trash is another's treasure, as the saying goes. Just because Tracy is falling behind in New York doesn't mean he can't be valuable to another club, specifically the Packers.
A Day 3 draft selection may have gotten a deal done, similar to Johnson, who has just 51 uninspiring offensive snaps to his name.
Johnson, whom the Steelers selected in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, never found a role in Pittsburgh despite his strong pedigree. As a rookie, he ran for 69 scoreless yards on 28 attempts. His brutal 25 percent rushing success rate was well below the league-average rate of 49.4.
Green Bay was already betting on one unknown with 2024 third-rounder MarShawn Lloyd. He's finally healthy following consecutive injury-marred campaigns. There's been palpable buzz surrounding him, but like Johnson, any excitement is only theoretical until proven otherwise.
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