EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The Giants today released seven players to get a head start on what promises to be a busy week of roster reshaping.
The moves leave them with 73 players, 20 more than the regular season limit they must reach by 4 p.m. tomorrow. But it's likely the Giants will pare down their roster prior to a practice that is scheduled to begin at 1:45 p.m.
"We probably will do it before," coach Brian Daboll said today.
The most significant transactions could be additions, not subtractions. The Giants will surely be studying the waiver wire and could bring in several players they believe can help them.
Daboll was asked how active he expects the Giants to be in the trade and free agent markets, as well as waiver acquisitions.
"I think that's a really good question for (general manager) Joe (Schoen)," Daboll said. "I'll try to answer it the best I can. I think that we're open to really improving our team in any way we can. Whether that's active in those areas, we're looking to improve however we can. I think Joe and his staff, we've been meeting all morning on different things. They've been doing a really good job of their communication, talking to the coaches and looking at different players to evaluate. I think Joe is open for business."
View photos of the New York Giants' 2022 roster as it currently stands.
OL Jack Anderson
DL Ryder Anderson
RB Saquon Barkley
TE Daniel Bellinger
S Dane Belton
G Ben Bredeson
RB Matt Breida
RB Gary Brightwell
LB Cam Brown
TE Lawrence Cager
S Landon Collins
LB Carter Coughlin
LB Jarrad Davis
G Wyatt Davis
DL Justin Ellis
OL Jon Feliciano
CB Cor'Dale Flott
OLB Tomon Fox
K Graham Gano
OL Nick Gates
P Jamie Gillan
G Mark Glowinski
WR Kenny Golladay
WR Isaiah Hodgins
CB Darnay Holmes
CB Adoree' Jackson
WR Richie James
S Tony Jefferson
WR Marcus Johnson
QB Daniel Jones
LS Casey Kreiter
DL Dexter Lawrence
S Julian Love
CB Nick McCloud
LB Micah McFadden
S Xavier McKinney
DL Henry Mondeaux
CB Fabian Moreau
T Evan Neal
OLB Azeez Ojulari
T Matt Peart
OL Tyre Phillips
S Jason Pinnock
WR Darius Slayton
ILB Jaylon Smith
QB Tyrod Taylor
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux
T Andrew Thomas
TE Nick Vannett
OLB Jihad Ward
DL Leonard Williams
CB Rodarius Williams
LB Oshane Ximines
The claiming period for players placed on waivers at the final roster reduction expires at noon Wednesday. The Giants will practice on Thursday before having off Friday through Sunday. The team returns to the practice field on Labor Day, meaning time will be short to acclimate any new faces that join the team prior to the opener in Tennessee on September 11.
"I think when you bring these guys in, the sooner you bring them in, the better," Daboll said. "Throughout my years of coaching, there's been times when I got players as a position coach on a Wednesday and had to get them ready to play on a Sunday. So, I think our coaches are well versed on that. The biggest thing is to try to improve and upgrade at as many spots as you can, whether that's one guy, five guys, however many that is. It certainly puts a lot on a position coach and a coordinator, but that's our job."
The seven players released today included no surprises. Six players were waived: wide receivers Keelan Doss and Travis Toivonen; guard Josh Rivas; defensive backs Olaijah Griffin and Yusuf Corker; and kicker Ryan Santoso. The Giants terminated the contract of veteran offensive lineman Eric Smith.
"We'll do the rest tomorrow," Daboll said. "I think we have until 3:59. So, these were the immediate guys that we talked to this morning, and then we'll have some more discussions as we go throughout the night and into tomorrow."
Santoso and Toivonen were signed Friday to play in the 31-27 loss to the Jets in the preseason finale. The former kicked two field goals and two extra points substituting for Graham Gano, who missed the game after suffering a concussion the previous week against Cincinnati.
Daboll said Santoso "did a good job yesterday," but Gano will likely be ready to face the Titans in Week 1. "It's trending in that direction," Daboll said.
As is backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor, who started yesterday against the Jets and left the game with a back injury suffered when he was hit by defensive lineman Michael Clemons.
"(He's) sore, but again, I think it's really what I said yesterday: He'll be okay," Daboll said. "I think it'll take a few days here. He landed pretty hard. He's just sore."
Wide receiver Kadarius Toney did not play in the three-game preseason, but Daboll said he is "hopeful" the 2021 first-round draft choice will be ready for the opener. "We'll just take it one day at a time," Daboll said. "He's been getting better, I think he's getting close, so I'm hopeful."
In their three practices this week, the Giants will emphasize their own progress and not preparing for Tennessee.
"We're going to continue to focus on our fundamentals and do things we need to do to improve as a football team and make corrections off the tape and compete against one another for this next week," said Daboll, who added the team might be in full pads for one of the workouts.
Will the practices be scripted toward cleaning up the flaws Daboll observed in the game or will he concentrate on the basics?
"It'll be a combination of both," he said. "What we usually do is a couple of walk throughs to fix the things we need to fix from whether it's the game or the previous night's practice. And again, the big thing is going to be about fundamentals. So, tackling, fundamental drills on tackling, throwing, catching, blocking inside-out. All the things that you need to be good at particularly in the early part of the season."
Another reason not to wade too heavily or quickly into Tennessee is that Daboll and his coaches don't know how many players will arrive in the coming days and what positions the newcomers will play.
"I'd like to try to get our roster as set as we can," Daboll said. "I know our coaches are upstairs working on a lot of different things right now from players that could potentially be released to people on the street to some Tennessee stuff. There's a lot of things to do in this particular week of the season, getting ready for your opener plus managing and putting together your roster. I'd say it's always good to get into the regular season and start a normal week, but you've got to take care of the things first that get you there.
"I think it's an exciting time. Anytime you're starting out a season and you're putting together a team, it's certainly exciting. There's a lot of work that needs to be done. We know it's never final. You're always trying to manage your roster and upgrade the best you can, but I think all of us are ready to get going here for the regular season."
View photos of every move made by the Giants during the 2022 offseason.
K Ryan Santoso - Waived
S Yusuf Corker - Waived
DB Olaijah Griffin - Waived
WR Keelan Doss - Waived
WR Travis Toivonen - Waived
OL Josh Rivas - Waived
T Eric Smith - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts
WR Travis Toivonen - Free Agent Signing
K Ryan Santoso - Free Agent Signing
S Andrew Adams - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts
WR Bailey Gaither - Waived, Failed Physical
TE Tanner Hudson - Free Agent Signing
C Chris Owens - Waived
DB Harrison Hand - Claimed (off Waivers from MIN)
WR Jaylon Moore - Claimed (off Waivers from BAL)
WR Collin Johnson - Reserve/Injured
WR Marcus Kemp - Reserve/Injured
TE Jordan Akins - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts
WR Sterling Shepard - Passed Physical
LB Darrian Beavers - Reserve/Injured
TE Andre Miller - Reserve/Injured
TE Ricky Seals-Jones - Reserve/Injured
T Matt Peart - Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform
C Nick Gates - Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform
OL Chris Owens - Free Agent Signing
OL Josh Rivas - Free Agent Signing
WR Robert Foster - Reserve/Injured
DL Christopher Hinton - Waived
DB Gavin Heslop - Waived
TE Jeremiah Hall - Waived
WR Austin Proehl - Waived, Injured
DB Olaijah Griffin - Claimed (off waivers from BUF)
OLB Azeez Ojulari - Passed Physical
Michael Jacquet III - Waived
OL Josh Rivas - Waived
DB Jarrod Wilson - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts
T Eric Smith - Free Agent Signing
T Matt Gono - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts
G Marcus McKethan - Reserve/Injured
T Will Holden - Free Agent Signing
DE Niko Lalos - Waived
DB Nate Meadors - Claimed (off waivers from CLV)
LB Austin Calitro - Free Agent Signing
LB Justin Hilliard - Waived
OT Garrett McGhin - Free Agent Signing
OT Kamaal Seymour - Waived
TE Daniel Bellinger - Passed Physical
WR Sterling Shepard - Declared Physically Unable to Perform
T Matt Peart - Declared Physically Unable to Perform
C Nick Gates - Declared Physically Unable to Perform
LB Azeez Ojulari - Declared Non-Football Injury
DB Andrew Adams - Free Agent Signing
DE Nick Williams - Free Agent Signing
WR Marcus Kemp - Free Agent Signing
OT Kamaal Seymour - Free Agent Signing
DB Maurice Canady - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts
WR Travis Toivonen - Waived, No Recall
DT Jabari Ellis - Waived, No Recall
DB Henry Black - Waived, No Recall
DB Gavin Heslop – Free Agent Signing
OT Korey Cunningham - Terminated, Vested Veteran, Non-Football Injury
TE Daniel Bellinger - Declared Physically Unable to Perform
DB Dane Belton - Selection List Signing
WR Wan'Dale Robinson - Selection List Signing
TE Daniel Bellinger - Selection List Signing
WR Keelan Doss - Free Agent Signing
G Joshua Ezeudu - Selection List Signing
CB Cor'Dale Flott - Selection List Signing
DB Michael Jacquet - Free Agent Signing
S Henry Black - Free Agent Signing
CB Maurice Canady - Free Agent Signing
CB Khalil Dorsey - Free Agent Signing
DE Jalyn Holmes - Free Agent Signing
OLB Kavyon Thibodeaux - Selection List Signing
T Evan Neal - Selection List Signing
LB Micah McFadden - Selection List Signing
DT D.J. Davidson - Selection List Signing
OL Marcus McKethan - Selection List Signing
LB Darrian Beavers - Selection List Signing
DE Ryder Anderson - Undrafted Free Agent Signing
RB Jashaun Corbin - Undrafted Free Agent Signing
LB Tomon Fox - Undrafted Free Agent Signing
TE Austin Allen - Undrafted Free Agent Signing
DB Darren Evans - Undrafted Free Agent Signing
G Josh Rivas - Undrafted Free Agent Signing
DT Jabari Ellis - Undrafted Free Agent Signing
FB Jeremiah Hall - Undrafted Free Agent Signing
DT Christopher Hinton - Undrafted Free Agent Signing
DB Trenton Thompson - Undrafted Free Agent Signing
DB Zyon Gilbert - Undrafted Free Agent Signing
DB Yusuf Corker - Undrafted Free Agent Signing
OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux - Selected in Round 1 (Pick No. 5) of 2022 NFL Draft
OT Evan Neal - Selected in Round 1 (Pick No. 7) of 2022 NFL Draft
WR Wan'Dale Robinson - Selected in Round 2 (Pick No. 43) of 2022 NFL Draft
OL Joshua Ezeudu - Selected in Round 3 (Pick No. 67) of 2022 NFL Draft
CB Cor'Dale Flott - Selected in Round 3 (Pick No. 81) of 2022 NFL Draft
TE Daniel Bellinger - Selected in Round 4 (Pick No. 112) of 2022 NFL Draft
S Dane Belton - Selected in Round 4 (Pick No. 114) of 2022 NFL Draft
LB Micah McFadden - Selected in Round 5 (Pick No. 146) of 2022 NFL Draft
DL D.J. Davidson - Selected in Round 5 (Pick No. 147) of 2022 NFL Draft
OL Marcus McKethan - Selected in Round 5 (Pick No. 173) of 2022 NFL Draft
LB Darrian Beavers - Selected in Round 6 (Pick No. 182) of 2022 NFL Draft
TE Jordan Akins - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing
OT Roy Mbaeteka - Free Agent Signing
OL Max Garcia - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing
RB Sandro Platzgummer - Free Agent Signing
WR Richie James - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing
DT Justin Ellis - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing
RB Matt Breida - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing
LB Jihad Ward - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing
OL Jamil Douglas - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing
LS Casey Kreiter - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing
TE Ricky Seals-Jones - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing
OL Mark Glowinski - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing
QB Tyrod Taylor - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing
OT Korey Cunningham - Unrestricted Free Agent Signing
OL Jon Feliciano - Free Agent Signing
DB Jarren Williams - Exclusive Rights Signing
WR Robert Foster - Free Agent Signing
WR C.J. Board - Signed, Prior to becoming a Free Agent
OL Matt Gono - Free Agent Signing
WR David Sills V - Signed
TE Chris Myarick - Free Agent Signing
WR Austin Proehl - Free Agent Signing
QB Davis Webb - Reserve/Future Signing
P Jamie Gillan - Reserve/Future Signing
RB Antonio Williams - Reserve/Future Signing
WR Alex Bachman - Reserve/Future Signing
DE Niko Lalos - Reserve/Future Signing
WR Travis Toivonen - Reserve/Future Signing
DT David Moa - Reserve/Future Signing
OT Devery Hamilton - Reserve/Future Signing
LB TJ Brunson - Waived, No Recall
DT Antonio Valentino - Waived
QB Brian Lewerke - Waived
DE Raymond Johnson III - Waived
DB Jordan Mosley - Waived
LB Trent Harris - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts
LB Omari Cobb - Waived
OL Wes Martin - Waived
TE Jake Hausmann - Waived
TE Rysen John - Waived
CB James Bradberry - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts
DB Logan Ryan - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts
TE Kaden Smith - Waived
P Riley Dixon - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts
RB Devontae Booker - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts
TE Kyle Rudolph - Terminated, Vested Veteran, all contracts
