Giants To Release Najee Harris, Jihad Ward

Harris is being released, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. The same is also true of Ward, per SNY’s Connor Hughes. Harris was added in August as part of New York’s search for backfield depth, while Ward was signed off the Vikings’ practice squad last month in a move which allowed him to return to the Giants.

The running back depth chart has increasingly become a talking point in the case of the Giants. Harris had a small role for much of his time in 2026, although he notably received the start in Week 6 with Cam Skattebo seeing his workload reduced in the midst of his fumbling issues. A heavy rotation took place on Sunday.

“You can say I don’t like that, I don’t like you divvying up the snaps between four backs,” head coach John Harbaugh said (via ESPN’s Jordan Raanan) following New York’s loss on Sunday. “I can tell you I don’t like it, either. One of those guys needs to step up. Someone needs to step up and be the back. And none of those guys has done that yet.”

Shortly after those remarks, Harris is now out of the fold. The former first-rounder played out his rookie contract in Pittsburgh, operating as a workhorse back along the way and topping 1,000 rushing yards in four straight seasons. That was followed by a one-year pact with Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers, but Harris was limited to three games in 2025 due to an Achilles tear.

Upon returning to action, the Alabama product handled just 32 touches as a member of the Giants. Harris – who spoke out against the four-back rotation used in Week 6 – will now hit the open market while New York moves forward with Skattebo, Tyrone Tracy and Devin Singletary on the running back depth chart. Harris, 28, signed for the veteran minimum and his pact did not contain any guaranteed money.

Ward played for the Giants from 2022-23, and he was familiar with Harbaugh given the earlier time shared between the two in Baltimore. In two games upon returning to New York, Ward managed just one tackle and no quarterback pressures. After being a gameday elevation on three occasions, Ward needed to either be signed to the Giants’ active roster or released. To no surprise, the team has elected to take the latter route.