BIG BLUE TAKES SHAPE
Cut day forms initial 53-man roster
The Giants kept seven wide receivers, including Dante Pettis, and cut a ton of offensive linemen, including Jonotthan Harrison, to form their initial 53-man roster on Tuesday.
Dave Gettleman and Joe Judge are turning this roster over at a furious pace trying to upgrade key spots and account for injuries and inadequate performance. They’re far from finished. There should be waiver claims. There could be more trades.
Some injured players could go on injured reserve, sidelining them for a minimum of three regular season games.
But as of Tuesday at 4 p.m., when rosters were due for 32 teams, here is how the Giants’ 2021 team shook out:
QUARTERBACK (2)
Daniel Jones, Mike Glennon Third-stringer Brian Lewerke could end up on the practice squad after getting cut. He played well in Cleveland.
OFFENSIVE LINE (8)
Andrew Thomas, Nick Gates, Nate Solder, Shane Lemieux, Will Hernandez, Matt Peart, Billy Price, Ben Bredeson
Of the top seven Giants snap-getters on offense this preseason, five were offensive linemen, and all of them got cut: guard Kenny Wiggins (139, first), tackle Jackson Barton (123, second), guard/tackle Chad Slade (116, third), guard/center Ted Larsen (95, sixth) and center/ guard Jonotthan Harrison (80, seventh). Larsen was placed on injured reserve. Undrafted rookies Brett Heggie and Jake Burton also got waived. The team obviously had seen enough of those players’ abilities and felt the trades for Price and Bredeson were better for the team.
RUNNING BACK (3)
Saquon Barkley, Devontae Booker, Gary Brightwell
Veteran Corey Clement was the odd man out. He had a strong start to camp, but Brightwell’s strong pass catching and play in the preseason finale — combined with fullback Eli Penny’s ball-carrying and pass-catching ability — made Clement expendable.
FULLBACK (2)
Eli Penny, Cullen Gillaspia Two fullbacks! In Penny’s own words on Sunday: “When you think of a fullback, you think of like a meathead type of guy. We’re [not that]. We like carrying the ball and catching the ball.” Penny is more of a jack-of-all-trades. Gillaspia is a strict special teamer.
WIDE RECEIVER (7)
Kenny Golladay, Sterling Shepard, Darius Slayton, John Ross, Kadarius Toney, Dante Pettis, C.J. Board
David Sills, Matt Cole, Damion Willis, Austin Mack (waived/ injured) and Alex Bachman (waived/ injured) get cut. Sills had a good camp but wasn’t as good a receiver as Pettis or as helpful a special teamer as Board. Willis led the Giants with 112 receiving yards and two touchdown catches in the preseason. Most of them are practice squad candidates if they clear waivers.
TIGHT END (3)
Kyle Rudolph, Evan Engram, Kaden Smith
Have to think at least one signing or waiver claim is coming here, especially with Engram’s short- and long-term status up in the area due to a calf injury. Maybe Seattle’s Jacob Hollister or Baltimore’s Eric Tomlinson, a former Giant. They definitely need another tight end who can block. Nakia Griffin-Stewart and Jake Hausmann get cut. This position was decimated by injury with Rudolph hobbled and the team losing Levine Toilolo, Cole Hikutini and Rysen John to injury. All of that after Kelvin Benjamin got cut at the start of camp.
SAFETY (4) Logan Ryan, Jabrill Peppers, Xavier McKinney, Julian Love
Ryan, Peppers and McKinney will be on the field together a lot on defense. Love gives the team a ton of versatility at safety, corner and across all the special teams units.
CORNER (7)
James Bradberry, Adoree Jackson, Keion Crossen, Josh Jackson, Rodarius Williams, Sam Beal, Darnay Holmes
Beal, the 2018 third-round supplemental draft pick who opted out of last season, is the upset sticking on the active roster. At least for now. Judge said Beal has “quietly improved for us” and “has gotten better” and “been able to be competitive in some joint practices and preseason games. We’re pleased with the progress he made. He did enough for us that at this point he’s back there.” Beal had a couple key pass breakups in New England against the Patriots on an extended drive that ended with him surrendering a touchdown and two-point conversion. Meanwhile, thirdround rookie slot corner Aaron Robinson (core muscle surgery) stayed on the physically unable to perform list, keeping him out the first six weeks of the regular season. Crossen and Jackson both were acquired in August trades, and the Giants still might not be done adding corner help.
EDGE (6)
Lorenzo Carter, Azeez Ojulari, Elerson Smith, Oshane Ximines, Trent Harris, Cam Brown
Harris had a great camp, making key players as a pass rusher and run stopper, and logging a lot of special teams snaps. He should play a fair amount early especially with Smith (hamstring) still injured and Brown almost exclusively playing special teams.
INSIDE LINEBACKER (4)
Blake Martinez, Tae Crowder, Reggie Ragland, Carter Coughlin
The Giants could use another veteran to back up Martinez. Devante Downs gets cut. It was surprising the team re-signed him in the first place.
DEFENSIVE LINE (5)
Leonard Williams, Dexter Lawrence, Austin Johnson, Raymond Johnson III, Danny Shelton
Johnson, an undrafted rookie out of Georgia Southern, has looked like he belongs from the beginning. The Giants thought he might have useful pass rush skills to contribute early as he develops his all-around game, and that’s exactly what he showed this camp. Meanwhile, the Giants guaranteed Ifeadi Odenigbo $1 million but cut him anyway because didn’t perform. They also traded B.J. Hill. They cut David Moa, a practice squad candidate, and they waived Elijah Qualls and Willie Henry, as well.
SPECIAL TEAMS (2) K Graham Gano, P Riley Dixon
Long-snapper Casey Kreiter is expected to re-sign. He simply got cut because of Tuesday’s numbers game. The team had to be at or under 53 players at 4 p.m. Safety Nate Ebner eventually will resign at some point, too, when he fully recovers from his offseason surgery.