The New York Giants won their first preseason game Friday against the Detroit Lions by a score of 14-3, and they got a great performance out of second-year running back Eric Gray.
Eric Gray was phenomenal in the Giants’ first preseason game
The 2023 fifth-round draft selection ran for 52 yards and was responsible for both New York touchdowns, one of which being a long 48-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter where he juked past Lions DB Morice Norris. He also led the team in receptions and receiving yards with 46 yards on four catches.
Gray said after the game that the highlight run had a personal message attached to it. Earlier this week during the joint practices between the two teams, Gray took a hard hit from Norris that forced his helmet to come off, and said that it was “for sure” a dirty play to commit in practice:
“It was kind of like a payback,” Gray said via The New York Post. “Like, ‘You want to do that? Here we go.’”
Eric Gray is fighting for a bigger role on the Giants
The performance in the Giants’ first preseason game was massive for Gray, as he is looking to carve out a big role in New York’s backfield and possibly be the primary running back behind Devin Singletary, who was signed to replace Saquon Barkley. Last season was a bit of a struggle for Gray, as he was rarely used in the offense and was ineffective in special teams:
“Last year, I felt like I was making the game too much than what it was,” Gray said via The New York Post. “Today, I was just showing who Eric Gray is.”
Gray will have competition for that RB2 spot on the depth chart, as recently drafted tailback Tyrone Tracy Jr. had a strong performance in training camp and displayed great versatility as both a runner and receiver. If Gray can show the same capabilities during the preseason, he could catapult up the depth chart and suddenly find himself being a major part of the team’s offense in the regular season.
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Gray’s improvement could be a difference-maker for the Giants
The Giants could really benefit from an improved year for Gray, as they are going to have to adjust to life without Barkley, which could mean that they will need to be more involved in the passing game. Gray could give them stability in the backfield and has shown that he can be impactful in both rushing and receiving.
New York has their second preseason game next Saturday, Aug. 17 on the road against the Houston Texans. If Gray puts in another strong performance, expect his name to be mentioned a lot more as the Giants finalize their depth chart for the regular season.
