The New York Giants are moving on from running back Najee Harris, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The decision ends a brief and largely unproductive stint for the veteran, who arrived in East Rutherford during the preseason as a depth addition and never carved out a meaningful role in a crowded and struggling backfield.
Harris, 28, entered the 2026 season still working his way back from a torn Achilles that limited him to three games with the Los Angeles Chargers the previous year.
The Giants signed him in mid-August on a one-year deal after a workout that drew praise from coach John Harbaugh, who described the former first-round pick as a decorated veteran with extensive experience.
Harris joined a group that already included Cam Skattebo, Tyrone Tracy Jr., and Devin Singletary, and he spent the early weeks of the season competing for snaps rather than claiming them outright.
Through five games with New York, Harris carried the ball 31 times for 99 yards, averaging 3.2 yards per attempt.
His most recent appearance, in a Week 6 loss to the New Orleans Saints, underscored the limited opportunity he received even when listed as a starter.
He managed just four yards on two carries in 11 snaps as the Giants continued to rotate backs. Harris later voiced clear frustration with the committee approach, saying it was difficult to find rhythm when carries came in ones and twos, and describing the situation as extremely frustrating after being told he would start.
The release is the latest shift in a Giants backfield that has failed to establish a consistent ground game.
Harbaugh has acknowledged the unit has not been productive and has said no back has stepped up to seize the primary role, noting that the team would love a more featured back but that the run game has not earned that approach yet.
Harris’ limited production and the team’s willingness to keep cycling through options appear to have made him expendable.
Harris arrived in the NFL as a highly productive college player at Alabama, where he earned first-team All-American honors and the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s top running back.
The Steelers selected him 24th overall in the 2021 draft, and he responded with four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons while also contributing as a receiver.
Pittsburgh declined his fifth-year option, and after the Chargers stint and injury, he signed with the Giants looking for a fresh opportunity. That opportunity lasted only a few months.
With Harris now a free agent, the Giants will continue to sort through their remaining options at the position. The move clears a roster spot and signals that the organization is still searching for more consistent production from the backfield as the season progresses.
For Harris, the next step will depend on whether another team sees residual value in a player who once posted durable, high-volume seasons but has struggled to recapture that form after injury and limited recent usage.
