EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The New York Giants weren't anywhere near finished setting their roster after Saturday's cutdown to 53 players.
The Giants claimed an NFL-high six players Sunday and waived second-year quarterback Davis Webb in a surprise move, multiple sources told ESPN.
Inspirational linebacker Mark Herzlich, who overcame a rare form of cancer to play in the NFL, was among the Giants' roster cuts on Saturday.
Veteran offensive tackle John Jerry was also waived, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Jerry started 56 games over the past four seasons with the Giants. He was slated to be a backup after they adjusted his contract earlier this year.
The Giants claimed defensive end Mario Edwards (Raiders), wide receiver Kaelin Clay (Bills), defensive back Antonio Hamilton (Raiders), defensive back Michael Jordan (Browns), defensive back Kamrin Moore (Saints) and center Spencer Pulley (Chargers).
Edwards, 24, was a second-round pick of the Raiders in 2015 and has 5.5 sacks in three seasons with Oakland. The Raiders were trying to move him earlier this week, but he was instead waived. The Giants were second in the waiver order on Sunday.
In order to make room on their roster, Webb and Jerry were among the casualties.
Webb's exit was a surprising move after he spent the entire offseason and summer as the backup to Eli Manning, ahead of rookie Kyle Lauletta and Alex Tanney, who remain on the roster.
The Giants shopped Webb on Saturday, with the Raiders being a team with which they had talks, according to a source. Nothing materialized -- Oakland traded a sixth-round pick to Buffalo for quarterback AJ McCarron -- and Webb was one of four quarterbacks on the Giants' original 53-man roster.
Webb was a third-round pick in the 2017 NFL draft by the previous regime, led by general manager Jerry Reese. New general manager Dave Gettleman passed on a quarterback this year with the No. 2 overall pick, but drafted Lauletta in the fourth round.
The Giants' belief in Lauletta and having him as the lone developmental quarterback is believed to be among the primary reasons they waived Webb, according to a source.
Clay was signed by Gettleman to be the return specialist last year in Carolina. He was then traded to Buffalo after Gettleman was fired before returning to the Panthers later in the year. He's averaged 9.4 yards per punt return and 23.2 yards on kickoffs throughout his career with the Panthers, Bills and Ravens.
The Giants kept only four cornerbacks on their initial 53-man roster. Hamilton, Jordan and Moore give them a new look, and now there will be a rush to get all six newly acquired players ready for Week 1 in less than a week.
The Giants open at home next Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The author
No comments: