Giants announce initial 53-man roster for 2024

Those released included wide receivers Isaiah Hodgins, Allen Robinson, and Miles Boykin; tight ends Lawrence Cager, Jack Stoll, and Jakob Johnson (who also plays fullback); running back Dante Miller; offensive linemen Jimmy Morrissey, Joshua Miles, Jalen Mayfield, and Marcellus Johnson; defensive tackle Casey Rogers; inside linebacker Darrian Beavers and K.J. Cloyd; outside linebacker Tomon Fox; cornerbacks Darnay Holmes, Tre Herndon, David Long, Jr., and Alex Johnson; safety Raheem Layne; and kicker Jude McAtamney, who as an international player did not count against the 90-man roster.

Inside linebacker Matt Adams (quad) was placed on injured reserve and designated for return.

WR Isaiah McKenzie (foot) was placed on injured reserve.

Cornerback Mario Goodrich (hamstring), offensive lineman Jalen Mayfield (lower leg/ankle), and outside linebacker Ovie Oghoufo (hamstring) were waived/injured.

Offensive lineman Matt Nelson was released on Monday.

Coach Brian Daboll spoke to the media prior to the cuts being announced, so he did not provide details or specifics on roster moves. He did say the Giants will keep three quarterbacks on their initial roster for the first time in his three seasons, so Tommy DeVito joins Daniel Jones and Drew Lock in that room.

“The roster’s fluid,” Daboll said. “There’s a lot of things that are still being discussed right now. But this is the original, if you will, 53 (man roster).”

All six of the Giants’ 2024 draft choices are on the roster. Defensive tackle Elijah Chatman is the only one of this year’s undrafted rookies to make the team. Also included in the 53 is wide receiver Bryce Ford-Wheaton, who was a rookie free agent last year but tore his ACL in the final preseason game and missed the entire year.

Adams, a seven-year veteran, signed with the Giants as a free agent on April 12. He has played in 85 regular-season games with 13 starts for Indianapolis, Chicago and Cleveland and played in four postseason games for the Colts and Browns. His career totals include 64 tackles (44 solo), one forced fumble and fumble recovery on defense and 34 tackles, one fumble recovery and one blocked punt on special teams. In the playoffs, has one tackle on defense and two on special teams.

McKenzie, who is entering his eighth NFL season, led the Giants this preseason with six punt returns for 36 yards and four kickoff returns for a 27.3-yard average.

Goodrich was awarded off waivers to the Giants on July 31, one day after he was released by Philadelphia. He played in four games with one start for the Eagles last season.

Mayfield was signed to the Giants’ practice squad on Aug. 31, 2023, and played in three games last season as a reserve lineman and on special teams.

Oghoufo, a rookie free agent, was signed on May 10.

Hodgins joined the team on Nov. 2, 2022, helped the Giants make the playoffs and caught eight passes for 105 yards, including a 14-yard touchdown, in the team’s victory at Minnesota in the NFC Wild Card Game. In 25 regular-season games with the Giants, Hodgins caught 54 passes and scored seven touchdowns.

Robinson was signed by the Giants on May 9, one day after he was released by the Pittsburgh Steelers, for whom he started all 17 games in 2023. In 10 seasons with Jacksonville, Chicago, the Rams and Pittsburgh, Robinson caught 562 regular season passes for 7,028 yards, and 43 touchdowns.

Boykin, a six-year veteran, joined the Giants on April 9. In addition to his 38 career catches, Boykin is a versatile and consistent contributor on special teams.

Cager was unable to play in the preseason because of hamstring and groin injuries. He was signed to the Giants’ practice squad on Oct. 18, 2022, and in two seasons caught 17 passes – four last year – and scored one touchdown in 17 regular-season games.

Stoll spent three seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles before signing with the Giants on March 15. He has 20 career regular season receptions and caught four passes for 39 yards in the preseason.

Jakob Johnson signed on August 16 and played in each of the final two preseason games, including nine snaps in Houston without having practiced with the team. He has 19 career receptions in five seasons with New England and Las Vegas.

Miller, a rookie free agent, nicknamed “Turbo” because of his relentless energy and hard-charging running style, led the Giants in the preseason with 26 carries for 108 yards, 14 attempts and 38 more yards than anyone else.

Morrissey signed with the Giants on January 23 after playing in 14 games the previous three seasons for the Houston Texans.

Miles joined the Giants on January 9, two days after the Giants concluded their 2023 season. He last played in 2021, the second of his two seasons with the Atlanta Falcons.

Nelson became a Giant on Feb. 22, after four seasons in Detroit. With the Lions, he played in 43 regular-season games with 14 starts – 11 in 2021. An ankle injury that required surgery limited Nelson to three games in 2023.

Beavers was the Giants’ sixth-round draft choice in 2022, when he missed the entire season after tearing his ACL in the preseason finale. Last year, Beavers was cut at the end of training camp and spent most of the season on the practice squad before playing 20 special teams snaps in the season’s final two games.

Cloyd joined the Giants on Aug. 11 and though he played in only two games, he led the team with 21 tackles (12 solo) in the preseason. He was originally signed as a rookie free agent by Minnesota.

Fox made the roster as a rookie free agent in 2022, when he played in 16 regular-season games with one start and played in both Giants postseason games. He tallied 23 tackles (14 solo), three tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, one quarterback hit, and one special teams tackle. Fox spent most of the 2023 season on the practice squad. He played in one game, at Philadelphia on Christmas Day.

Holmes was selected by the Giants on the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. In four seasons, he played in 54 regular-season games with 11 starts and started both postseason games in which he played. His totals included 107 tackles (81 solo), four interceptions and 18 passes defensed. He had seven postseason tackles.

Herndon was signed by the Giants on June 12 after six seasons in Jacksonville, where he played in 83 regular-season games with 24 starts and played in two playoff games.

Long joined the Giants on May 1 after playing for the Rams, Raiders, Panthers, and Packers the previous five seasons. He had five preseason tackles (four solo).

Layne signed with the Giants on August 15. He played the previous two years for the Chargers, appearing in 11 games with one start. He tore his ACL vs. Dallas on Oct. 1, 2023, and missed the remainder of the season.

McAtamney is a native of Ireland who played at Rutgers and made both of his field goal attempts Saturday night vs. the Jets. The Giants will receive an international exemption for him if he is placed on the practice squad.

Marcellus Johnson, Rogers, and Alex Johnson were rookie free agents who were signed on May 10.