Isaiah Wilson Out of Work Again

A week after they considered playing him, the New York Giants have released the former Tennessee Titans tackle.

George Walker IV / The Tennessean via Imagn Content Services, LLC

A week ago, they talked about the possibility that he could play for them.

Tuesday, the New York Giants did what two other NFL teams did with Isaiah Wilson. They decided they had seen enough of him. New York released Wilson without him having played in a game for them.

The Tennessee Titans’ first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft (29th overall) had been a member of the Giants’ practice squad since Oct. 2. It was the 6-foot-6, 350-pound tackle’s first opportunity after the Miami Dolphins released him in March, days after they formally acquired him in a trade with Tennessee.

Injuries and COVID issues along the offensive line last week led to speculation that Wilson could be activated for Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears, and coach Joe Judge did not dismiss the possibility.

“I think Isaiah is definitely learning the playbook,” Giants tackle Andrew Thomas, a college teammate of Wilson’s at Georgia, said. “It took him a little bit to try to catch on. I've been helping him, and he's been working with the assistant offensive line coaches, as well. Excited to see him get an opportunity.”

That did not happen.

There were no public missteps as was the case during his troubled rookie season with the Titans, which included a citation from Tennessee State University campus police during training camp, a DUI arrest during the first week of the regular season, a one-game suspension for violation of team rules and a move to the Reserve–Non-Football Injury list with the assessment of franchise officials and teammates that he needed to address issues in his personal life.

Still, he did not do enough to convince New York’s coaches that he was prepared to be an NFL player.

"Every day we’re pouring into him to get better," Giants’ offensive line coach Rob Sale said of Wilson last week. "Every day is a new day. … Everybody likes somebody you can count on to be dependable We have to get better."

Wilson was not at practice the day after Sale’s comments with what was classified as a “non-COVID illness.”

With Tennessee, Wilson played three snaps on offense and one on special teams in garbage time of a single game. To date, that is his only official NFL experience.