NFL Rumors: Could RB Da’Rel Scott Get Cut?
The New York Giants rushing attack is a huge question mark heading into the season. Behind starter Ahmad Bradshaw, there is no certainty in who the backup will be and who can be trusted to hold down the fort when Bradshaw needs a break.
At the moment, four guys are vying for playing time behind Bradshaw, including rookie David Wilson, D.J. Ware, third-year back Andre Brown and last season’s seventh-rounder Da’Rel Scott.
Wilson has performed well thus far in training camp, but has made it very evident what he brings to the table is raw at best. His speed is undeniable, but his ability to protect the quarterback and catch the ball out of the backfield are two things he will need to improve on in the future.
The veteran Ware has had a strong camp as well, but the Giants know what they have with him. He can be useful on occasion in short-yardage situations and on passing downs, but he is not a primary option to do much out of the backfield. Despite this, the Giants have kept him on the roster and offensive Kevin Gilbride always makes use of him in at least one play every week.
The biggest surprise has been Andre Brown. Brown is an “every-down kind of guy”, as Giants running backs coach Jerald Ingram noted, with a desirable combination of power and speed. The former Wolfpack stud still has much to prove on gameday—he has carried the ball just twice in his NFL career for minus one yard.
And then there’s Da’Rel Scott. The former Maryland Terrapin saw the field primarily as a return man in 2011, carrying the football just five times for 16 yards—eight of which came on one run.
Despite Scott’s blistering speed and a battered running back group last season, the Giants did not trust in the rookie enough to allow him to see the field which has to make you wonder what they saw in practice from him. This season, he hasn’t helped his case much once again as he fights through injuries in training camp.
His abilities are still a big question mark. It was not an accident he fell to the seventh round, and unfortunately, he has been unable to prove he was worth much more on the field.
With four running backs in front of him performing better and fighting for their job, Scott could be on the chopping block. His role on special teams is vital, but the Giants have a handful of guys who could handle return duties and may be planning on doing so anyhow.
Scott’s inability to see the field in training camp because of two injuries could cost him his tenure with the defending NFL champions. Scott will have the remainder of camp and four preseason games to prove otherwise. The Giants must cut their roster down to 80 players by August 28th.
Louis Musto is a New York Giants Featured Columnist for www.RantSports.com. You can follow him on Twitter @LouisMusto.
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