Giants move on from RB Williams
When a fourth-round pick two years ago is the biggest name and greatest surprise on cut-down day, you know the Giants did not go for any shock value Saturday as they trimmed their roster to the 53-man limit.
They made 22 moves and the most eye-catching was waiving running back Andre Williams, who had a promising rookie year, slumped badly in 2015 and apparently did not do enough this summer to beat out Orleans Darkwa, Bobby Rainey or rookie Paul Perkins.
The only other former draft pick to get axed was receiver Geremy Davis, a 2015-sixth-rounder.
“Andre is a guy that played some good football for us,” Ben McAdoo said after his first cut-down day as head coach. “We’re going to miss him. It was another one of those really tough decisions to make. We feel that with Rashad [Jennings], Shane [Vereen], Orleans, Paul Perkins and Bobby Rainey, we have some versatility there to play all three downs, and on special teams as well.”
McAdoo said “there were some good players we had to let go.’’
Williams on Twitter wrote: “I believe I am the healthiest, hardestworking running back not on an active roster so now I’ll wait.’’
No one should refer to the 53 remaining players as the “final roster.’’ Players will be added and subtracted in the coming days as the waiver wire heats up with fresh bodies.
“The roster is a living, breathing organism,” McAdoo said. “It never stops changing. There’s always movement in the roster. Things are always moving.” The moves made Saturday:
The contracts of offensive lineman Adam Gettis and defensive tackle Jermelle Cudjo were terminated.
15 players were waived: Williams, Davis, QB Logan Thomas, WRs Darius Powe and Anthony Dable, OL Dillon Farrell and Ryan Seymour, DT Louis Nix, DE Stansly Maponga, LBs Brad Bars and Ishaq Williams, CBs Leon McFadden, Michael Hunter and Donte Deayon, safeties Justin Currie and Andrew Adams.
Two offensive linemen, Emmett Cleary (finger) and Jake Rodgers (ankle) were waived injured.
FB Will Johnson (burner) was placed on injured reserve.
Kicker Josh Brown will be placed on the NFL’s reserve/suspended list after he was suspended for the season-opener for violating the league’s personal conduct policy stemming from a domestic violence charge that was dropped. He is eligible to return to the team Sept. 12.
All six 2016 draft picks made it through, meaning Perkins — despite an uneven summer — and tight end Jerell Adams — a developmental pass-catcher but intriguing blocker — made the cut.
It was not a big year for undrafted free agents sticking on the roster but two of them did: Receiver Roger Lewis (Bowling Green) and defensive end Romeo Okwara (Notre Dame).
Well-traveled receiver Tavarres King survived. He has been with five different teams, but has played in just two NFL games — for the Buccaneers in 2014. He led the Giants with three touchdown catches in the preseason and brings a speed element to the offense. Lewis showed he was more polished than Powe, Dable and Davis.
“Roger and T.K. are two guys that really took a big jump,” McAdoo said. “They hit the ground running in the offseason, made tremendous strides and got better and improved.’’
Davis was a mild surprise. He was reputed to be a developing receiver and quality special teams player but he did not live up to that advance billing, mainly because he did not make any impact on special teams. A strained hamstring this summer also hurt Davis’ opportunities.
“Geremy was a guy we drafted here that we think very highly of,’’ McAdoo said. “Sometimes, you have to make those tough decisions.”
As expected, the Giants again will carry just two quarterbacks, Eli Manning and Ryan Nassib.
“I’m very comfortable with two quarterbacks on the roster,” McAdoo said.
As for Nassib, who struggled much of the summer, McAdoo said, “Ryan is a guy who had some ups and downs of late, but he’s a guy we have confidence in.’’