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Giants "Could" Be Planning to Add Veteran Offensive Lineman | New York Giants News Briefs

The Giants have an opening on their 53-man roster after placing Andrew Thomas on IR.

Patricia Traina

Jul 24, 2024; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants offensive tackle Andrew Thomas (78) talks with media during training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Facility.
Jul 24, 2024; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants offensive tackle Andrew Thomas (78) talks with media during training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Facility. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
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OCT. 17: GIANTS “COULD” ADD VET TACKLE. By all accounts, the New York Giants are pleased with the development of young offensive linemen Joshua Ezeudu, who is expected to fill in for Andrew Thomas at left tackle for the foreseeable future and Evan Neal. But that won’t stop the team from potentially adding another veteran for insurance.

Head coach Brian Daoll told reporters prior to the team’s Thursday practice that the team could potentially add a veteran tackle.

It’s unclear if a signing is imminent or if the Giants have someone in mind, but adding a veteran to the group to fill Thomas’s roster spot would make all kinds of sense if the coaches believe that Evan Neal isn’t fully ready to take snaps on offense after only six weeks of practicing following his return to full health from ankle surgery.

A veteran would give the Giants added insurance in the event that Ezeudu struggles or if there is an injury to either Ezeudu or right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor.

OCT 15: GIANTS SIGN FORMER VIKINGS DRAFT PICK TO PRACTICE SQUAD. The New York Giants signed defensive tackle Armon Watts to their practice squad. Watts, a six-year pro, played his college ball at Arkansas. He was a sixth-round draft pick by the Minnesota Vikings in 2019, where he was groomed by Andre Patterson, currently the Giants defensive line coach.

Watts spent three seasons with the Vikings before moving on to the Bears in 2022 and then splitting last year with the Steelers and the Patriots. He landed on IR late in his rookie season, and then again at the end of training camp this year with the Patriots for an undisclosed injury. He was waived with an injury settlement on October 1.

Watts, 6-5 and 307 pounds, has appeared in 72 career games with 22 starts and has 140 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 18 quarterback hits, and 8.5 sacks.

New York released cornerback Duke Shelley from its practice squad to create an opening for Watts.

OCT. 10: GIANTS ELEVATE HODGINS, MILLER FROM PRACTICE SQUAD. The New York Giants have elevated running back Dante Miller and receiver Isaiah Hodgins from their practice squad ahead of Sunday’s Week 5 game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Miller and Hodgins were elevated last week and will fill in for running back Devin Singletary (groin) and receiver Malik Nabers (concussion) again this week. Singletary, who had been listed as questionable for Sunday’s game, was downgraded to out.

OCT. 9: PANTHERS POACH IOL CADE MAYS OFF GIANTS PRACTICE SQUAD. The Carolina Panthers signed offensive lineman Cade Mays of the NEw York Giants practice squad earlier this week.

Mays was originally a sixth-round draft pick by the Panthers in the 2022 NFL draft out of Tennessee, where he was for the 2020-21 seasons after beginning his college career at Georgia. 

The 25-year-old Mays appeared in 27 games with seven starts for the Panthers over the 2022-23 seasons. Carolina released him on Aug. 28, 2024, and signed with the Giants practice squad on Sept. 10.

OCT. 8: GIANTS SIGN OLB BENTON WHITLEY TO PRACTICE SQUAD. The New York Giants have signed outside linebacker Benton Whitley to their practice squad. Whitley had been cut from the 53-man roster last week when the Giants activated linebacker Matthew Adams off injured reserve before their Week 5 game against Seattle.

Before being cut from the 53-man roster, Whitley appeared in just two defensive snaps and 42 snaps for the Giants. He didn't record any tackles on either unit.

SEPT. 30: GIANTS WORK OUT QUARTERBACK C.J. BEATHARD. According to NFL Network reporter Tom Pelissero, the New York Giants hosted veteran quarterback C.J. Beathard for a workout on Monday.

Beathard, the grandson of longtime NFL general manager Bobby Beathard (Washington and San Diego), is a six-year veteran who spent the first three years of his career with the San Francisco 49ers, who selected him in the third round of the 2017 draft out of Iowa. 

He spent the last three seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He has appeared in 32 games with 13 starts and has completed 340 of 563 pass attempts for 3,886 yards and 19 touchdowns to 14 interceptions.

While Beathard’s workout is sure to raise some eyebrows, it is our understanding that it was just a routine workout to help with working out pass catchers and to determine if there might be further interest on the part of the club to add him to the team’s shortlist of candidates in the event of an emergency or at the end of the year, when the Giants typically sign a slew of free agents to reserve/futures contracts. 

Aaron Wilson also reported that the Giants worked out wide receivers Kearis Jackson, Joseph Ngata, Joseph Scates, Bryan Thompson, and Seth Williams, and defensive backs Lamar Jackson and Greg Stroman.

SEPT. 29: GIANTS, JETS MAKE WRONG KIND OF HISTORY IN WEEK 4. Week 4 of the NFL season wasn’t kind to the New York Giants or the New York Jets. Both teams not only lost their respective games but did so without either offense scoring a touchdown, which is believed to be the first time that has happened to each team at home.

The Giants lost a 20-15 decision to the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night, their scoring coming thanks to kicker Greg Joseph’s five field goals. 

Meanwhile, the Jets lost a heartbreaker of their own on Sunday to the Denver Broncos by a score of 10-9, their points coming thanks to three field goals by kicker Greg Zuerlein.

The Giants fell to 1-3 on the season, while the Jets fell to 2-2. Next week, both teams will be taking long plane rides for their respective Week 5 games. 

The Giants will head to Seattle for a Week 5 date with the currently undefeated Seahawks, and the Jets will head to London, England, where they will face the red-hot Minnesota, who, with ex-Jets quarterback Sam Darnold at the helm, is 4-0.  

SEPT. 28: DEXTER LAWRENCE II DISPUTES PFF’S ASSESSMENT OF HIS PLAY. New York Giants defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence II wanted to set the record straight about Pro Football Focus's assessment of how his game against Dallas Cowboys center Cooper Beebee went.

According to the popular analytics site, Beebee, a rookie, yielded zero pressures to Lawrence in 22 pass-blocking snaps. 

Ah, but looks can be deceiving. According to NextGen Stats, Lawrence, who finished with two tackles and one quarterback hit against Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, was double-teamed on 20 of his 25 pass rushes (80.0%) on Thursday night, tied for the highest double-team rate in a single game since at least 2018 (min. 25 pass rushes). 

Lawrence is highly regarded around the league as one of the top interior defensive linemen in the league. 

NextGen Stats also noted that Lawrence has generated just one pressure (6.3% pressure rate) when aligned from the zero technique (nose tackle) spot this season after leading the NFL with 24 pressures from such alignments in 2023. 

However, Lawrence also has faced a higher double team rate this season (56%) when aligned as a zero technique compared to last year (44%), a clear sign that opponents’ respect for his play has greatly increased to where they prioritize sending additional resources against him to slow down his pass rush. 

SEPT. 27: MALIK NABERS SAYS HE’S “ALL GOOD.”  New York Giants receiver Malik Nabers gave Giants fans everywhere quite the scare Thursday night when, with 3:30 left in the game, he suffered what was eventually announced as a concussion and was declared out for the remainder of the game.

Afterward, Nabers was seen in the locker room speaking with teammates in what was considered a positive sign. He did not appear to be woozy in any way, though when teammate Brian Burns yelled across the locker room to see how Nabers was, he said at that time he wasn’t okay.

After the game, Nabers offered a more positive update on his condition.

Nabers and the Giants have ten days before their next game, a West Coast trip to Seattle. He will be in of the league’s protocol for the coming week, but there was some early optimism that he would be cleared in time for that next game.

SEPT. 24: RETIRED GIANTS DE OSI UMENYIORA TO RECEIVE SPECIAL CAREER HONOR. The NFL announced that retired New York Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora will be part of a two-man class inducted into the league’s inaugural London Games Ring of Honor next month.

Umenyiora, who ranked 32nd on the Giants’ Top 100 players in franchise history, is one of two members of the initial class who will be inducted during halftime during the New York Jets-Minnesota Vikings game on October 6 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. He will be joined by retired Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen.

The NFL London Games Ring of Honour ceremony recognizes those who have contributed to the growth and development of football in the U.K. and Ireland, both on and off the field.

Honorees will make brief remarks on-field and will be recognized with banners paying homage to their careers. The banners will be displayed at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium throughout the 2024 NFL London Games, and in future NFL seasons.

The London-born Umenyiora was drafted in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He spent 12 seasons with the Giants and was among the founders of the league’s International Player Pathway (IPP) program. He has also sought to expand the league’s reach for talent in Africa, where he spent part of his childhood in Nigeria.

SEPT. 22: OLB BRIAN BURNS GOOD TO GO FOR WEEK 3 GAME VS. BROWNS. New York Giants outside linebacker Brian Burns is expected to be active for Sunday’s Week 3 game against the Cleveland Browns.

Burns was added to the Giants injury report on Friday after being limited in that practice. He was given a “questionable” injury designation, raising concerns about his availability.

It’s unknown whether Burns’s injury will put him on a pitch count, but his presence in the lineup is a plus, given that the Giants are facing a banged-up Cleveland Browns offensive line.

SEPT. 21: GIANTS DEFENSE CATCHING BREAK VS. BROWNS? If ever there was a week for the New York Giants' defensive pass rush to come alive, it was Week 3.

The Cleveland Browns, who host the Giants on Sunday, will be without offensive tackle Jack Conklin for a third straight week. Conklin, listed as questionable on Friday’s injury report, has been downgraded to “out” for Sunday’s game.

Jedrick Wills, the Browns’ other offensive tackle, remains listed as questionable for Sunday’s game. Wills is dealing with a knee injury.

Outside linebackers Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns are both looking for their first sacks of 2024. 

Through two weeks of play, they have combined for 11 tackles, three quarterback hits, two tackles for a loss, and zero sacks against offenses that have chipped them to slow them down.

SEPT. 20: EVAN NEAL A FORGOTTEN MAN. First, it was losing his starting right tackle job in the summer to veteran Jermaine Eluemunor. More recently–and lost in the shuggle of last week’s loss to the Washington commanders–New York Giants offensive tackle Evan Neal has lost his spot on special teams.

Neal, the Giants’ first-round pick in 2022, has twice now dressed for games but has not seen the field, this after getting some preseason work on the Giants' PAT and field goal teams. Instead, the team has turned to Joshua Ezeudu for that role.

This week, special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial was asked about this decision to by-pass Neal, who played 21 snaps on special teams in the preseason, for a role.

“We train multiple players at different positions. Evan (Neal) is certainly a guy who can play all those positions, but certainly so is (Joshua) Ezeudu. We're going to put out what we feel is going to give us the best chance to be able to connect on these kicks with our best 11 (men).”

It’s been a rough road for Neal, the seventh overall pick in the 2022 draft. Injuries and a lack of consistency have derailed what was hoped to be a promising career, leaving his future with the team in doubt. 

Offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo was asked about Neal’s progress and if there might be a role for him as an extra blocker.  

“Evan definitely excels in run blocking, and he's doing a good job of working himself back into this mix and getting the rust off,” Bricillo said. 

“It's been a long hiatus in those injuries, and he's doing a good job. Given an opportunity, I'm sure he'll be able to help us.” 

SEPT. 18: ELI MANNING ONE STEP CLOSER TO PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME -- Retired New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning was among one of 167 modern-era players nominated for the Class of 2025, and one of 16 among those in their first year of eligibility

The two-time Super Bowl MVP ranks in the top 10 in career passing yards, completions and touchdown passes. He is one of seven other Giants who made the cut, including running back Tiki Barber, tight end Jeremy Shockey, guard Chris Snee, defensive end Justin Tuck, linebacker Jessie Armstead, and punters Jeff Feagles and Sean Landeta.

The next step for Manning and the rest of the legacy Giants will be to make the cut to 50, as selected by a Screening Committee, the results of which will be announced in mid-October.

After that, the full 50-person Hall of Fame Selection Committee will reduce the list of 50 to 25 semifinalists. Then, the list will be reduced to 15 finalists from whom the Class of 2025 will be selected.

SEPT. 17: GIANTS-COWBOYS TRADE A DONE DEAL. The New York Giants trade made toward the end of training camp that sent defensive lineman Jordan Phillips and a 2026 seventh-round draft pick to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for the Cowboys’ 2026 sixth-round pick is now official.

The trade was based on Phillips's being on the Cowboys’ 46-man roster for two games. With that condition being met, the rare trade between division rivals is in the books. 

Sept. 15: GIANTS WEEK 2 INACTIVE LIST-- The New York Giants have scratched offensive lineman Jake Kubas, outside linebacker Boogie Basham, and safety Anthony Johnson for this week’s game against the Washington Commanders.

Tommy DeVito will be the emergency quarterback. Cornerback Nick McCloud (knee) and inside linebacker Darius Muasau (knee), who were scratched on Friday.

Cornerback Cor’dale Flott will get the start at cornerbak opposite Deonte Banks. McCloud made the start there last week, but he’s inactive today due to a knee injury.

Washington's inactives are cornerback Emmanuel Forbes Jr., safety Darrick Forrest, linebacker Dominque Hampton, defensive end Jamin Davis, guard Chris Paul, and receiver Jamison Crowder. Sam Hartman is the emergency quarterback.

Sept. 14: TWO GIANTS FINED FROM WEEK 1--The NFL fined New York Giants cornrback Adoree' Jackson $9,804 for unnecessary roughness on a play occuring with 1:09 remaining in last Sunday’s secnd quarter loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

Rookie LB Darius Muasau was also fined $4,696 for a hip-drop tackle in the third quarter of that game, a play that wasn't flagged by the officials.

Sept. 11: BARKLEY EARNS NFC OFFENSIVE POTW--As if New York Giants co-owner John Mara doesn’t have enough worries with his own team’s issues to cause sleepless nights, now comes word that running back Saquon Barkley, now with the Philadelphia Eagles, has been named NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his three-touchdown performance in the Eagles’ Week 1 regular-season win against the Green Bay Packers in Brazil.

Mara, who on the Hard Knocks series famously told general manager Joe Schoen that he would have trouble sleeping at night if Barkley were to sign with the Eagles in free agency, has likely been having some restless nights even before this news hit after seeing the Giants, on the day in which they honored the franchise’s 100 best players at halftime, lay an egg against the Minnesota Vikings. 

That performance raised even more questions about the long-term future of quarterback Daniel Jones, who in his first game back from a torn ACL since Week 9 of last year, picked up where he left off in terms of shoddy play. Jones threw two interceptions, including a Pick-6, and finished 22 of 42 for 186 yards, taking five sacks, three of which a case could be made he walked himself into.

Head coach Brian Daboll is sticking with Jones for the team’s upcoming game against the Washington Commanders, but clearly if Jones continues to flop his way through games, the team is going to have to decide sooner than later whether to stay with him or move on to backup Drew Lock.

Sept. 10: GIANTS TWEAK PRACTICE SQUAD—The New York Giants dropped offensive tackle Marcellus Johnson from their practice squad and replaced him with interior offensive lineman Cade Mays.

Mays, 6-6 and 325 pounds was originally a sixth-round pick by the Panthers in the 2022 draft (pick 199) out of Tennessee. He appeared in 11 games with two starts as a rookie.

Last season, Mays appeared in 16 games with five starts for the Panthers. He was with Carolina this summer but was part of their final roster cuts to get down to the 53-man limit on August 28,2024.

Sept. 10: GIANTS LEGENDS REVEAL THOUGHTS ABOUT SUNDAY'S EMBARRASSING LOSS TO VIKINGS—The New York Giants might be on to Washington. Still, the stench of their 28-6 opening game loss to the Minnesota Vikings on a day in which the franchise’s all-time legends were being honored still resonated strongly with the legacy players.

The New York Giants might be on to Washington. Still, the stench of their 28-6 opening game loss to the Minnesota Vikings that took place on a day in which the franchise’s all-time legends were being honored still seemed to resonate strongly with the legacy players.

Former linebacker Carl Banks, who was among the 100 legends honored at halftime during Sunday’s debacle, shared part of his conversation with the great hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor, voted the No. 1 overall best player in franchise history, as the Giants were getting walloped by the Vikings en route to an embarrassing 28-6 loss.

Banks spoke of how Taylor, known to legions of Giants fans by his initials “LT” doesn’t watch many football games these days, but he was horrified by what he saw in the first half of the Giants’ Week 1 game.

“He looked at me–and this is a true story, folks–if you wanna know what we were thinking at halftime,” Banks said. “He looked at me and he said, ‘Carl, I can pick 22 of us right now and go out and play better than these guys.’ And the youngest guy in that line was probably 50 years old.”

Banks. A member of the Giants broadcast team, is a two-time Super Bowl champion (XXI and XXV), a first-team All-Pro (1987) a Pro Bowler (19870 and a member of the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team. 

Banks has never been shy about sharing his opinions on what he sees from the current group of players, and at times has been flat-out blunt with his perspectives. 

He was at a loss for words over the product that the Giants put out there on the field Sunday.

“To start your season looking the way you did..when you’re playing a team in your weight class and they look like they took the next step and you’re still stuck in 2023…” he said, shaking his head in disbelief. 

The Giants get a chance to make things right on Sunday against the Washington Commanders, a team they have had success against over the last five years.

Sept. 8: GUNNER OLSZEWSKI SUFFERS SETBACK IN PRE-GAME WARMUPS. New York Giants punt returner Gunner Olszewski, who has been slowed down this summer due to a groin injury, suffered a setback during pre-game warmups and was declared out of Sunday’s regular-season opener against the Minnesota Vikings.

The Giants didn’t announce who will replace Olszewski as punt returner, but among the candidates are cornerback Adoree’ Jackson, receiver Darius Slayton, and receiver Wan’Dale Robinson. Jackson is the most likely candidate to get the role.

Sept. 6: JAKOB JOHNSON RELEASED FROM PRACTICE SQUAD. Fullback/tight end Jakob Johnson is probably starting to feel like a human yo-yo when it comes to his tenure with the New York Giants.

Johnson was released from the team's practice squad to make room for the signing of inside linebacker Carter Coughlin, who was dropped from the 53-man roster on Thursday.

Johnson, originally signed by the Giants on August 16, did not make the initial 53 man roster when cuts were announced on August 27, but he was one of the vested veterans added to the team's practice squad the next day.

Then on August 29, he was promoted to the 53-man roster after offensive lineman Austin Schlottman landed on injured reserve with a broken leg. Schlottman's stay on the roster was short-lived as his contract was terminated two days later, on August 31. 

He was then re-signed to the practice squad on September 2, lasting just four days until the latest transaction.

The Giants have been engaging in roster gymnastics this week so it's certainly possible that Johnson will be back at some point.

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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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