EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – One day after announcing Daniel Jones has been cleared to return to action, the Giants announced two transactions that secured quarterbacks.
Rookie Tommy DeVito, who played the final 37 minutes Sunday against the Jets, was signed to the active roster from the practice squad. DeVito had been elevated to the roster for each of the last three games, the maximum allowed in one season. Had DeVito stayed on the practice squad, he would have been ineligible to play in another game.
His spot on the practice squad was taken by veteran quarterback Matt Barkley, who has played in 19 regular-season games, including eight – with one start - in Buffalo in 2018-20, when Brian Daboll was the Bills' offensive coordinator. But he has not played in a regular-season game in almost three years.
Daboll announced yesterday that Jones will return to the practice field tomorrow after missing the last three games with a neck injury. Jones is expected to start Sunday against the Raiders in Las Vegas.
Tyrod Taylor, who started the three games in Jones' absence, spent a night in the hospital after suffering a ribcage injury against the Jets. It is not known when he will return to the field.
Gunner Olszewski, who averaged 9.3 yards on six punt returns Sunday, was re-signed to the practice squad. He was signed to the roster on Saturday and released yesterday and is expected to return punts when the Giants face the Raiders.
Center Jaylon Thomas was released from the practice squad.
DeVito, who joined the team as a rookie free agent, saw his first NFL action Sunday after Taylor left the game. The Giants played conservatively on offense with DeVito taking the snaps, throwing just one pass in the second half (but three in overtime). DeVito completed two of seven passes for minus-1 yard, but he scored the Giants' only touchdown on a six-yard run in the third quarter.
Barkley, 33, entered the NFL as the Philadelphia Eagles' fourth-round draft choice in 2013 and has since spent time with Arizona (twice), Chicago, San Francisco, Cincinnati, Buffalo (twice), Tennessee, Carolina and Atlanta. He has played only for the Eagles, Bears and Bills.
In 2016, Barkley started six of the seven games he played for Chicago. His most recent start was on Nov. 11, 2018, when he led Buffalo to a victory against the Jets in MetLife Stadium. Barkley last played on Jan. 3, 2021, when he completed six of 13 passes with one touchdown and one interception in a Bills triumph vs. the Dolphins.
Barkley spent the entire 2022 season on the Bills' practice squad. He was released by Buffalo on Sept. 1.
Olszewki joined the Giants' practice squad on Oct. 23, two days after he was released by Pittsburgh. A 2020 All-Pro with New England, he has an 11.8-yard average on 81 career punt returns, including a 70-yard touchdown in 2020 with the Patriots.
Thomas joined the Giants' practice squad on Sept. 1. He played three snaps at center in the Giants' loss in Miami on Oct. 8.
View photos of every move made by the Giants during the 2023 cycle.
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