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Giants Awarded Offensive Lineman Tyre Phillips via Waivers; Release ILB Blake Martinez

Tyre Phillips has experience for the Baltimore Ravens at left guard, a position where the Giants are still unsettled.

Patricia Traina

Giants Awarded Offensive Lineman Tyre Phillips via Waivers; Release ILB Blake Martinez
Giants Awarded Offensive Lineman Tyre Phillips via Waivers; Release ILB Blake Martinez /
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The New York Giants continued to tweak their roster Thursday when they were awarded offensive lineman Tyre Phillips off waivers from the Ravens.

Phillips, a guard, and tackle, played in 22 games with 13 starts the last two seasons with the Ravens, who selected him in the third round of the 2020 draft. 

The 6-foot-5, 244-pound Phillips, who played his college ball at Mississippi State, won a starting role at guard on the Ravens offensive line as a rookie. Between injuries and his struggles when inserted at tackle, Phillips' development was stunted.  

Baltimore had hoped to trade the offensive lineman, who had competed for the Raves' starting left guard job with Ben Powers and Ben Cleveland, but there wasn't much interest around the league. 

Phillips played in 22 games with 13 starts in the last two seasons. It's unclear if the Giants plan on inserting him as their starting left guard, where as of right now, Devery Hamilton is slotted to play while Shane Lemieux sits on injured reserve.

Meanwhile, in practice squad news, the Giants are adding former Detroit Lions return specialist Kalil Pimpleton to the practice squad. Pimpleton is a 5-foot-9, 172-pound receiver out of Central Michigan who went undrafted despite catching 62 passes for 960 yards and four touchdowns. 

As a punt returner, Pimpleton had 16 returns for 304 yards (19.0 average) and two touchdowns in 2021.

To make room for Phillips, the Giants released inside linebacker Blake Martinez. Martinez, who had been a team captain for the last two seasons, was trying to make it back from a torn ACL he suffered last year. However, he never did seem to be a good fit for the direction this Giants defense was taking.

According to Over the Cap, Martinez, who agreed to a restructured contract, to lower his 2022 cap figure, was due a $1.25 million guaranteed base salary this year and up to $1 million in per game roster bonuses. He had a prorated signing bonus amount of $6.25 million due this year and next year. 

 

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Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.

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