EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The Giants have made their first official player transactions of the offseason, signing nine players to reserve/future contracts. Five of the players were members of the team's practice squad at the conclusion of the season.
The players who have been with the Giants are defensive end Myles Humphrey (Shepherd University), running back Robert Martin (Rutgers), tackles Victor Salako (Oklahoma State) and Jylan Ware (Alabama State), and defensive back Ronald Zamort (Western Michigan).
The newcomers are linebacker Jonathan Anderson (TCU), defensive end Jake Ceresna (Cortland State), wide receiver Brittan Golden (West Texas A&M) and long snapper Taybor Pepper (Michigan State).
Humphrey, 6-3 and 238 pounds, was on the Giants' practice squad from Oct. 16 to the end of the season. He entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with the Baltimore Ravens on May 7, 2018. Humphrey was waived on Sept. 1 and spent Sept. 2-26 on the team's practice squad. He played in 48 games with 20 starts at Shepherd University in West Virginia, where he set a school record with 40 sacks.
Martin, 5-11 and 222 pounds, spent the entire 2018 season on the Giants' practice squad. He was originally signed as a rookie free agent from Rutgers on May 14. Martin was waived on Sept. 5 and signed to the practice squad two days later. He played in 46 games for Rutgers and had 448 carries for 2,256 yards (5.0-yard avg.) and 18 touchdowns, plus 20 receptions for 135 yards.
Salako, 6-5 and 316 pounds, also spent the entire season on the Giants' practice squad. He was claimed off waivers on Aug. 1, one day after being released by the Cleveland Browns. Salako was originally signed as a rookie free agent by the Philadelphia Eagles on May 15, 2017. He was released on Sept. 1. He was on the practice squads of the Eagles from Sept. 12-18 and the Cleveland Browns from Oct. 25 through the end of the 2017 season. The Browns signed him to a reserve/future contract on Jan. 2, 2018. Salako was the starting left tackle for two seasons at Oklahoma State after transferring from Alabama-Birmingham, where he started 23 games.
Ware, 6-7 and 317 pounds, was on the Giants' practice squad from Oct. 2 through the end of the season. He entered the NFL as a seventh-round draft choice by the Oakland Raiders in 2017, and played in one game, the season finale at the Chargers on Dec. 31. Ware was waived by the Raiders on Sept. 2, 2018. He played in 34 games with 31 starts in four seasons at Alabama State.
Zamort, 5-10 and 174 pounds, was signed to the Giants' practice squad on Oct. 15 and remained there for the rest of the season. He entered the NFL as a rookie free agent in 2016 with the Arizona Cardinals, from Western Michigan. He was released at the end of training camp and signed a reserve/future contract with the Cardinals on Jan. 3, 2017. But Zamort tore his right ACL in a training camp practice and missed that entire season. In four seasons at Western Michigan, Zamort played in 48 games and had 150 tackles (99 solo), and had six interceptions and 51 passes defensed.
Golden, 5-11 and 180 pounds, is the most experienced newcomer. He played in 44 regular-season games with one start and played in two postseason games with the Arizona Cardinals from 2013-17. He caught 18 passes for 293 yards (16.3-yard avg.) and one touchdown, and averaged 6.4 yards on 17 punt returns and 23.1 yards on 15 kickoff returns. In 2013, Golden played in 13 games, but his season ended when he suffered a broken arm. Golden entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with the Chicago Bears in 2012. He has also been with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Last year, Golden had a tryout with the Giants. Team physicians discovered a benign tumor in his mouth and Golden underwent surgery.
Anderson, 6-1 and 237 pounds, played in 31 games with three starts for the Chicago Bears from 2015-17. He was with the Bears and Arizona Cardinals last year, but did not appear in a game. Anderson's career totals include 47 tackles (35 solo), one interception, five passes defensed, and 14 special teams tackles. He joined the Bears as a rookie free agent in 2015, and that season played in 11 games with three starts, and had career-high totals of 40 tackles (31 solo), and his only interception (in his NFL debut at Detroit on Oct. 18).
Ceresna, 6-5 and 291 pounds, was with the Jets from Aug. 15-Sept. 22, 2016, but did not play in a game. He played in 33 games for Division III Cortland State from 2013-15 after transferring from Division II Southern Connecticut State. He totaled 142 tackles (81 solo), with 39.5 tackles for loss (14.5 sacks), 10 pass breakups, 42 quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. He was named D3football.com second team All-East and second team All-ECAC North. As a senior, he started 12 games and recorded 63 tackles (38 solo), with 9.5 sacks and 18.5 total tackles for loss.
Pepper, 6-4 and 245 pounds, played in four games for the Green Bay Packers in 2017. He was signed as a rookie free agent by the Packers on Jan. 27, 2017 and was cut on May 8. After a brief stint with the Baltimore Ravens, Pepper returned to the Packers. He did not play in 2018. Pepper played in 54 games as Michigan State's long snapper from 2012-15.
