The preseason is over. The undefeated New York Giants now have to trim their roster from 90 to 53 players by Tuesday, Aug. 26 at 4 p.m. ET. Here is my final prediction regarding what that initial 53-man roster might look like.
Quarterback (3) — Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston, Jaxson Dart
Out: Tommy DeVito
(Change: None)
Russell Wilson is the starter .. for now. Jaxson Dart is the future. Jameis Winston isn’t going anywhere … unless the Giants get a ridiculous offer they would be foolish to turn down. That means DeVito’s time as a Giant is done … unless he clears waivers and is signed to the practice.
Of course, the way DeVito played Thursday night he might have convinced a few quarterback-needy teams to ring Joe Schoen’s cell phone and offer a draft pick for Tommy Cutlets.
Practice squad possibilities: DeVito, if he clears waivers.
Running back (4) — Tyrone Tracy Jr., Devin Singletary, Dante Miller, Cam Skattebo
Out: Eric Gray, Jonathan Ward
(Change: None)
Miller deserves the roster spot after the summer he has had. I thought perhaps Skattebo would land on IR to begin the season, leaving the Giants with just three running backs, but he returned to practice during the week.
Practice squad possibilities: Ward
Tight end (4) — Theo Johnson, Chris Manhertz, Thomas Fidone, Greg Dulcich
Out: Daniel Bellinger, Jermaine Terry
(Change: Dulcich in)
I do not believe Bellinger deserves to be cut. He is a good player who probably has not been used as well as he could have been the past two seasons. I just keep looking at the situation, both depth-wise and financially, and think he could be the odd man out.
Fidone might not make it to the practice squad if the Giants cut him and try to sneak him there. Dulcich has had a really good summer, is a good receiving tight end, has a history from the Denver Broncos with Wilson and seems to also have Dart’s trust.
Bellinger is not as a good a receiver as Johnson, or perhaps even Dulcich. He isn’t as good a blocker as Manhertz. He carries a $3.6 million cap hit, and with just $3.792 million in cap space, the Giants could use the $3.4 million in cap space they would get by cutting or trading him.
Practice squad possibilities: Terry
Wide receiver (6) — Malik Nabers, Darius Slayton, Wan’Dale Robinson, Jalin Hyatt, Ihmir Smith-Marsette, Gunner Olszewski
Out: Zach Pascal, Juice Wells, Jordan Bly, Montrell Washington, Da’Quan Felton, Beaux Collins, Dalen Cambre, Lil’Jordan Humphrey
(Change: None)
The more I have thought about this, the more I think just about anything could happen with this group after Nabers, Slayton and Robinson. The Giants could keep six, and maybe even seven depending on how they configure other roster spots.
I “think” Jalin Hyatt makes the roster, especially since he has Wilson’s support. He also has assistant GM Brandon Brown’s support. But, Hyatt hasn’t lit the world on fire this summer and he doesn’t play special teams. So, anything could happen. He did not help himself on Thursday by failing to come up with two catchable deep balls.
I “thought” Collins had a spot on the roster locked up until his performance on Thursday. He had two drops, one of them egregious, and for the second straight week he cost his quarterback an interception by running the wrong route.
I “think” Ihmir Smith-Marsette deserves a spot, but the Giants have options in the return game.
This might be the most unpredictable position group on the roster. I am really not sure of anything
Practice squad possibilities: Felton, Cambre, Washington, Collins
Offensive line (9) — Andrew Thomas, Jon Runyan Jr., John Michael Schmitz, Greg Van Roten, Jermaine Eleumunor, Marcus Mbow, James Hudson III, Evan Neal, Josh Ezeudu
Out: Stone Forsythe, Jaison Williams, Austin Schlottman, Jimmy Morrissey, Bryan Hudson, Jake Kubas, Aaron Stinnie
(Change: Ezeudu in; Kubas, Stinnie out)
I had not even considered keeping Ezeudu on the roster until he played left guard — and played it well — in the preseason game against the New York Jets. While having practiced all summer at left tackle. I am now wondering if that was only because without Thomas, the Giants needed someone to play the position so the third and fourth units could practice. Ezeudu gave up one hurry in 61 left tackle snaps agains the Bills and none in 21 left guard snaps against the Jets.
Stinnie has played well this preseason, but given a choice I think the Giants might keep a 25-year-old former third-round pick (Ezeudu) who can play guard and tackle (in an emergency) over a 31-year-old journeyman who is a guard only. Ezeudu not playing at all against the Patriots gave me pause, but I am going to stick with this pick.
The Giants have invested a good deal of effort into developing Kubas as a guard/center, but the 25-year-old former undrafted free agent has struggled this summer. I think they try to move him to the practice squad and keep working with him.
Practice squad possibilities: Kubas, Bryan Hudson, Forsythe
Defensive line (6) — Dexter Lawrence, Rakeem Nunez-Roches, Darius Alexander, Elijah Chatman, Roy Robertson-Harris, D.J. Davidson
Out: Jordon Riley, Elijah Garcia, Cory Durden, Jeremiah Ledbetter
(Change: Ledbetter out; Davidson in)
In previous iterations of the roster projection, I have had Ledbetter in and Davidson, a fifth-round pick by GM Joe Schoen in 2023, out. Davidson’s snaps have seemed to come earlier in games than Ledbetter’s, though, and that is a tell-tale sign of who has a better chance to stick around. I am not even sure Ledbetter played Thursday night. Davidson was excellent while in the game.
Also, the Giants need a true nose tackle as a backup for Dexter Lawrence. Davidson can do that. Ledbetter cannot.
Practice squad possibilities: Riley, Garcia
Outside linebacker (4) — Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Abdul Carter, Chauncey Golston
Out: Tomon Fox, Trace Ford, Victor Dimukeje
(Change: None)
There isn’t much to add here. Fox has hung around for a couple of years, but there doesn’t appear to be a need for him with Golston on the roster.
Practice squad possibilities: Ford
Inside linebacker (4) — Bobby Okereke, Micah McFadden, Darius Muasau, Chris Board
Out: Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, K.J. Cloyd, Dyontae Johnson
(Change: None)
I have said before that I hate to cut Johnson. I have two thoughts about doing so. On the field, he has not really followed his impressive 2024 preseason with another one. My second thought is that leaving him off is an example of how this roster has been upgraded from last year’s.
Practice squad possibilities: Johnson, Cloyd
Cornerback (6) — Paulson Adebo, Deonte Banks, Dru Phillips, Cor’Dale Flott, Tre Hawkins, Nic Jones
Out: Art Green, Dee Williams, TJ Moore, O’Donnell Fortune, Korie Black
(Change: None)
I do not like the idea of cutting a draft pick, which is what I am doing by trying to get Black, one of the Giants’ two seventh-round picks, to the practice squad. I like the idea of carrying three safeties even less, and that is what I would have to do if I kept a seventh cornerback. Jones, as far as I have been able to tell, deserves this spot more than Black.
Art Green had a nice game against the Patriots on Thursday, making a late push for a roster spot. I will stay with my pick of Jones, however.
Practice squad possibilities: Black, Fortune
Safety (4) — Jevon Holland, Tyler Nubin, Dane Belton, K’Von Wallace
Out: Raheem Layne, Makari Paige
(Change: None)
Because of his experience and his familiarity with Shane Bowen, having played and started games for him with the Tennessee Titans, Wallace gets the nod as the fourth safety.
Practice squad: Layne, Paige
Placekicker — Graham Gano
Punter — Jamie Gillan
Long snapper — Casey Kreiter
Out: PK Jude McAtamney
(Change: None)
When healthy, Gano, Gillan, Kreiter have been the kicking trio for several years now. There won’t be any changes.
Practice squad: McAtamney (exemption)
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