Breaking down New York Giants’ 53-man roster following initial cuts | Sporting News

The New York Giants have officially trimmed the roster down to 53 players following Tuesday’s deadline..

While this is the initial view of the roster, it will more or less serve as the foundation going into the third season under general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll.

There are likely to be a handful of waiver claims made by the front office over the next 24 hours. The Giants hold the sixth spot in the waiver order, and they have until noon ET Wednesday to make as many claims as they want.

Without further ado, here’s a look at the initial 53-man roster for the Giants following the preseason:

New York Giants 53-man roster

Quarterback (3)

Daniel Jones, Drew Lock, Tommy DeVito

No real surprise here. Jones will be the starter, but he has a shaky injury history while Lock is still working his way back from a preseason oblique injury. Given the emergency quarterback rule, the Giants are wise to keep DeVito on the active roster for now.

Running Back (3)

Devin Singletary, Tyrone Tracy Jr., Eric Gray

Rookie Dante Miller did almost everything he needed to in order to make the roster, but it was simply a numbers game. The hamstring injury he suffered during the preseason did him no favors, but the Giants hope he clears waivers so he can return to the practice squad.

Wide Receiver (6)

Malik Nabers, Darius Slayton, Wan’Dale Robinson, Jalin Hyatt, Bryce Ford-Wheaton, Gunner Olszewski

There was a bit of a surprise here with Ford-Wheaton getting the final nod over players like Allen Robinson, Miles Boykin and Isaiah Hodgins. It will be interesting to see if his spot is still safe after waivers go through, but the Giants seem to like his abilities on special teams.

Tight End (3)

Theo Johnson, Daniel Bellinger, Chris Manhertz

With only three tight ends, the Giants are very likely to scour the waiver wire for potential additions. Johnson was a bit of a surprise, but there’s a chance he comes back to the practice squad. Regardless, this means a big role for Johnson, the team’s fourth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Offensive Line (10)

LT Andrew Thomas, LG Jon Runyan Jr., C John Michael Schmitz, RG Greg Van Roten, RT Jermaine Eluemunor, Evan Neal, Aaron Stinnie, Austin Schlottmann, Joshua Ezeudu, Jake Kubas

The Giants need depth in the worst way when it comes to the offensive line. It will be interesting to see if Van Roten or Stinnie is the starting right guard while Neal and Ezeudu are projected to be the swing tackles.

Defensive Tackle (5)

Dexter Lawrence, Rakeem Nunez-Roches, Jordon Riley, DJ Davidson, Elijah Chatman

The big story here is Chatman, the undrafted rookie, making the squad after an impressive run throughout the preseason. The backup role behind Lawrence at nose tackle will be an interesting battle throughout the season.

Edge Rusher (5)

Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Azeez Ojulari, Boogie Basham, Benton Whitley

Whitley had a strong preseason and could provide some depth as a run stopper form the edge, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if he didn’t make it through the waiver claims Wednesday. Either way, he earned a spot with a strong preseason.

Linebacker (5)

Bobby Okereke, Micah McFadden, Dyontae Johnson, Darius Muasau, Carter Coughlin

Keeping five inside linebackers will be interesting with McFadden and Johnson both dealing with injuries. Muasau and Coughlin project to be core special teamers if they survive the waiver claims. Matthew Adams was placed on the Reserve/Injured list designated to return.

Cornerback (6)

Deonte Banks, Cor’Dale Flott, Andru Phillips, Nick McCloud, Tre Hawkins III, Isaiah Simmons

Flott avoided a stint on the Reserve/Injured list while McCloud should compete for the starting role opposite Banks in Flott’s absence. Simmons is working as a nickel defender, but it remains to be seen how long that experiment lasts. This is a spot the Giants very well could add through the waiver wire.

Safety (4)

Jason Pinnock, Tyler Nubin, Dane Belton, Gervarrius Owens

Pinnock and Nubin appear to be the starters with Belton working as the No. 3. Owens made the roster after a solid preseason despite a knee injury.

Specialists (3)

Graham Gano, Casey Kreiter, Jamie Gillan

No surprises here.

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