Blue lands CB Crossen for draft pick
The Giants swung a deal on Monday for a corner and special teamer that Joe Judge knows and seemingly trusts. Keion Crossen, acquired from the Houston Texans for a 2023 sixth-round pick, plays outside corner and special teams, including gunner on punt coverage.
Judge was the Patriots’ special teams coordinator in 2018 when New England drafted him in the seventh round out of Western Carolina and played him in 11 games as a rookie.
Nick Caserio, then the Patriots’ personnel czar, traded Crossen to the Texans in August 2019 for a sixth-round pick.
On Monday,
Caserio, now Houston’s GM, traded Crossen again for a sixth-rounder, this time to
Judge, Caserio’s longtime colleague in New England.
Crossen, 25, played 306 defensive snaps last season for Houston, though most of them came in the final six games of the season.
He has been a special teamer primarily, logging 253 and
263 snaps there, respectively, the past two seasons, including 43 at gunner last season for the Texans, per Pro Football Focus.
The Giants’ corner depth didn’t look good in Saturday’s preseason opener. Players like Isaac Yiadom, Madre Harper, Sam Beal (injured) and even rookie draft pick Rodarius Williams should not be thrilled with this trade.
Williams, a sixth-round pick out of LSU, allowed eight completions on 10 targets for 99 yards against the Jets, per PFF. That was unexpected given Williams’ strong coverage against the Giants’ receivers on several days this camp.
LEWERKE IN, THORSON OUT AS 3RD QB
Third-string QB Clayton
Thorson sustained a concussion on Saturday and was waived/ injured by the Giants on Monday. In his place, the team signed former Michigan State QB Brian Lewerke.
The undrafted Lewerke, 24, spent time in training camp with the New England Patriots last summer as a rookie before being released in early September. He then played for the Alphas in The Spring League this year.
Thorson, 26, took a beating behind the Giants’ second-string O-line Saturday, including a crunching safety from two Jets defensive linemen that left him woozy and required medical attention in the fourth quarter.
Thorson struggled, completing just 5-of-16 passes for 72 yards. But he did hit Davis Sills for a 37-yard gain and used his legs to keep the play alive for a 21-yard TD pass to Damion Willis. Those were the Giants’ only points of the night.
MURPHY TO IR
Second-string guard Kyle Murphy (left ankle) was placed on injured reserve, as were linebacker TJ Brunson (torn ACL) and safety Joshua Kalu (torn pectoral). Murphy had been taking snaps at guard and as the emergency third center. This further decimates the Giants’ thin offensive line.
Judge said Sunday that “there’s a good chance that we’re going to look to bring somebody in before going to Cleveland” in order to reinforce the line. The Giants need more bodies simply to practice, let alone to upgrade their starting five and interior depth.
All NFL teams also must cut their 90-man rosters down to 85 by end of day Tuesday. They will then have to cut to 80 on Aug. 24 before a final cut to 53 on Aug. 31.