How Can NY Giants Unlock More from RB Tyrone Tracy Jr.?

For as great as Tracy was during his rookie season, he could still be better. He is not only learning how to be an NFL running back, but also how to be a running back. 

He only spent the last two seasons of college playing running back, and in the first season, he was used sparingly. His second season only saw him total 113 carries. 

What was surprising was how little he was used as a pass catcher. As a redshirt freshman at Iowa, he caught 36 passes for 589 yards and three touchdowns. He never matched that mark again in college. 

As a rookie, he was targeted 53 times, caught 38 passes for 284 yards and a touchdown. 

Pass catching is where we could see Tracy be unlocked and reach his full potential. There is no reason why a running back with more receiving experience should not be able to change the math for an offense that is looking to be more dynamic. 

There are three ways Tracy can be utilized as a pass catcher, making this offense more dynamic. 

The first is a standard check-down for the quarterback, the second involves shifting to a receiver, and the third is part of the screen game. 

Check Down Outlet

Tracy is a great checkdown option because he has sure hands and knows how to find the vacated area. Savvy quarterbacks use the checkdown and need to know where it will be based on the defense to give their other routes more time to develop. 

Tracy would understand how to operate, and because of his abilities as a back, he would be great after the catch. 

Hit him on swing passes out of the backfield; he can block and leak out into the flats, and he could slip through the line and sit right behind the defensive line in front of the linebackers. 

Shifting to a Receiver

The NFL is about matchups and doing things to get those matchups in your favor. Using Tracy in more than 20- and 21-personnel will trigger the defense to play more of their base or heavier packages because 20/21 personnel are normally run units. 

Shifting to a receiver position will likely put a linebacker on him, which he should be able to exploit due to his background as a receiver. Routes with multiple movements are the way to attack. 

Linebackers today are faster, but this doesn't mean they change direction more smoothly. Whip routes, angle routes, or choice routes can give Tracy the advantage as a receiver. 

Screen Passes

There are many screen passes that can involve Tracy. The easiest and most common play action screen involves him being normally involved in the blocking scheme, then leaking out for a dump-off with linemen in front of him as blockers. 

Another way is the quick swing passes with the receivers and tight ends blocking in front of him. These plays are quick-hitting and require minimal effort from the offensive line, mainly cutting the front-side defensive ends. They essentially become long handoffs because the goal is to get the ball into Tracy’s hands more often. 

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