EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The Giants made several roster moves this morning affecting both their active roster and practice squad.
Tight end Jerome Cunningham was signed to the roster off the practice squad. The team needs another tight end as it prepares for its game Sunday at Tampa Bay because Larry Donnell has a neck injury that kept him out of practice yesterday. Cunningham joins rookie Will Tye as the only healthy tight ends on the 53-man roster.
Cunningham made his NFL debut against Atlanta on Sept. 20, when he caught one pass for three yards.
He was inactive for the season opener and the three games after the loss to the Falcons before being waived on Oct. 18. Cunningham was signed three days later to the practice squad, where he spent most of the 2014 season.
The Giants placed rookie defensive end Owa Odighizuwa on injured reserve/designated for return. The third-round draft choice from UCLA has a hamstring injury. Odighizuwa is eligible to return to practice on Dec. 17, and to the roster on Dec. 31, meaning the first game he can play is the regular-season finale vs. Philadelphia on Jan. 3.
The opening on the practice squad was filled by cornerback Dax Swanson, who entered the NFL as a free agent with the Indianapolis Colts in 2013, from Sam Houston State. Swanson, 5-10 and 191 pounds, has previously spent time on the practice squads of the San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots (four times in 2014) and Tampa Bay. He has not played a regular-season game.
Cornerback Leon McFadden has been added to the Giants' injury report with a groin strain suffered yesterday in practice.
*Three players who did not practice yesterday will be on the field today – wide receiver Rueben Randle (hamstring), guard Geoff Schwartz (ankle) and safety Craig Dahl (neck).
