Deayon explains why he was ‘relaxing’ on third time through cutdown day
EAST RUTHERFORD » Donte Deayon woke up Saturday morning feeling little stress or anxiety. He was at peace with his bid to make the Giants’ roster, and he had been through the NFL’s cutdown day twice before.
Would the third time be the charm?
“Really for me it was just more relaxing this time around, trying to just know that I’m settled with myself putting it all out on the field,” Deayon said Wednesday in the Giants’ locker room. “The way I finished up the preseason, I felt good about myself getting an opportunity.”
The cornerback recorded two interceptions in last Thursday’s preseason finale against the Patriots, solidifying his case at a position where the Giants lacked depth throughout the summer.
The team held weight-lifting and conditioning Friday, and then the players had off Saturday leading up to the league’s 4 p.m. deadline for teams to trim their rosters from 90 to 53.
Players wait in hopes of silence. The coaches don’t reach out to deliver news that they survived the cuts.
“You’re just hoping your phone doesn’t ring at this point,” Deayon said.
Deayon, the youngest of four sons, called his mom and family back home in California to deliver the good news once the deadline came and he hadn’t received a call. But it still wasn’t time to celebrate too much because the Giants made a league-high six waiver claims, which were revealed Sunday.
The team ended up waiving quarterback Davis Webb, tight end Jerell Adams, wide receiver Hunter Sharp, guard John Jerry, defensive back William Gay and defensive tackle Josh Banks to create space for the incoming players on the 53-man roster.
Deayon is listed as the backup left-side corner to Eli Apple on the Giants’ Week 1 depth chart.
“We saw that the waivers came in, so that was a little like, ‘OK, we’re back on,’” said Deayon, who lives 10 minutes from the Giants’ facility with his girlfriend. “Just staying aware, staying alert, but when I figured out that I finally pushed through and made it on 53, I’m just blessed and excited for the opportunity.”
The 24-year-old Boise State product is in his third season with the Giants. Each of the first two years he was waived on cutdown day before rejoining the franchise the next day on the practice squad.
Deayon was promoted to the active roster for the first time last October, but after appearing in four games, he went on injured reserve with a fractured forearm.
Despite being undersized at 5-foot-9, 163 pounds, Deayon has consistently been a fan favorite for his exuberance and shown a knack for making plays as an inside slot corner.
He has also made significant strides since his rookie year sharpening his technique on special teams. He plays safety, gunner (running down the field on kickoffs and punts) and jammer (slowing down gunners).
Deayon’s final push in the last preseason game came after he missed three weeks with a nagging hamstring injury, which threatened to derail his chances of making the roster. But he stayed resilient and patient with his rehab process.
“You can never get comfortable in this business,” he said. “You can’t get comfortable, so I’m still working, still trying to make progress whether that’s on the field or off the field and trying to get adjusted to New York or Jersey.”
Now a veteran of the cutdown process, Deayon can offer advice to players like corner Grant Haley, an undrafted free agent this year out of Penn State who did not make the roster but is currently one 10 Giants signed to the practice squad.
“Really just try to let ‘em know that it’s a long season, and your opportunity could come randomly,” Deayon said. “It could come out of nowhere, so you’ve just got to stay prepared, stay ready.”