Cam Skattebo's injury: What it means for the RB, the Giants and their future

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- "Let's do this! Let's do it!" New York Giants rookie Cam Skattebo yelled towards his teammates.

Not even his ankle facing the wrong direction could get him to break character. He was still the energetic, fiery running back who has quickly become a fan favorite because of his attitude and aggression.

Skattebo suffered an open wound ankle dislocation in Sunday's 38-20 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field, ending his season.

After his right leg was put into an air cast and he was loaded onto the cart, Skattebo still found his quarterback with an enthusiastic headbutt.

Didn't see this in the moment. Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo actually did their trademark headbutt before Skattebo left the field. pic.twitter.com/jfgPtfAEts

This is what the Giants will be losing for the remainder of the season. The energy that Skattebo, along with his sidekick Jaxson Dart, had injected into the franchise was palpable. The difference could be felt and seen with Skattebo's hardnosed, embrace-the-contact approach.

It's a massive loss for the Giants in their quest for respectability. And it's equally demoralizing for the team and the fan base, who were falling in love with the attitude that Skattebo and Dart portrayed.

Never was it more evident than just two weeks ago when they led the Giants to an upset victory over the defending champion Eagles on Thursday Night Football. Dart and Skattebo had put the New York Giants back on the map.

But now it's back to the drawing board for the the team, for now at least. There is hope that Skattebo could be back for the start of next season. Of course, his rehab and healing need to go smoothly and the full extent of his injuries haven't been fully disclosed.

Skattebo's open wound makes avoiding infection a priority. The good news is that he already returned to New Jersey and the initial surgery was successful. The Giants said he will begin his rehab immediately.

"I'm not going to get into the particulars, but all went well," coach Brian Daboll said on Monday afternoon. "He's recovering, and obviously he'll be missed, but on the road to recovery."

Daboll later added: "He's got a road ahead of him."

There is a history of players with open wound ankle fractures that have come back at full strength. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott saw his ankle facing the wrong direction in an October game against the Giants in 2020. He was back for the start of training camp the next year.

There are also others who experienced longer roads back. Former NFL quarterback Alex Smith's journey has been well-documented. It was complicated by infections and involved 17 surgeries. The key for Skattebo will be that there are no future complications, which at this point is unpredictable.

In the meantime, the Giants will now go back to Tyrone Tracy Jr. as their feature back. He'll be supplemented by Devin Singletary and Dante Miller. Tracy had 10 carries for 39 yards in Sunday's loss. Singletary had a nice 28-yard reception in the second half.

Tracy had a promising rookie year in 2024 while Singletary is a proven veteran and Miller is a young, explosive player. None provide the same attitude and energy as Skattebo. That is an element the Giants will have trouble replacing.

"At first, when you have a young guy come in and they bring that sort of energy and they're vocal, as an older guy, you're kind of like, all right young guy, relax. But he was genuine, and you appreciate that," veteran guard Greg Van Roten said. "He works hard and it's contagious, so he won guys over quick just with his work ethic. How he approaches the game of football is refreshing in a way, where it doesn't have to be all scheme and this and that. Sometimes you just run somebody over and that's good enough. We're going to miss that."

Tracy is more of a home run hitter. He had six runs of 20+ yards as a rookie last season, including two that went for more than 40 yards. Skattebo had one 20+ run in eight games this year.

But perhaps the biggest question facing the Giants without Skattebo is how this affects Dart's development. The rookie quarterback is now without star wide receiver Malik Nabers and Skattebo as weapons. New York's offense struggled in Philadelphia until the final minutes when the game was out of reach. It had produced fewer than 200 yards of total offense until the final drives late in the fourth quarter.

Dart was "devastated" by the injury to Skattebo, one of his closest friends on the team. They had developed an instant bond on and off the field. It was evident by their interactions and connection.

Do the Giants now trade assets to help Dart develop down the stretch as a rookie? It's a questionable approach given they are 2-6 and the schedule doesn't soften. Each of the Giants' next five opponents currently has a winning record, including the San Francisco 49ers (5-3) on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS). The 49ers bring with them a Top 10 scoring defense that allows just over 20 points per game.

The Giants also don't have a third-round pick in next year's draft, having used it as part of the package to select Dart in the first round of this year's draft. Trading more draft capital for help right now would leave them further shorthanded for the future.

It seems likely Dart and the Giants will have to get through this season without any major reinforcements. Recently signed wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III is likely to start being integrated into the rotation this week. More will be expected from Tracy, tight end Theo Johnson and wide receivers Wan'Dale Robinson and Darius Slayton.

It's going to be difficult for Dart and the Giants down the stretch. He's likely going to have to take his lumps as a result. The Giants need to manage it so it doesn't break his will.

Dart could be seen getting emotional at the podium after Sunday's loss to the Eagles. He was rocking back and forth and, at times, grasping for his breath, all while explaining his disdain for losing. This in addition to addressing the injury to his close friend.

It's not going to be easy to keep the development of Dart on track, but this is the hand that they have been dealt after this latest crushing blow with Skattebo.