Eight Players Who Could Be of Interest to Giants

We scan the waiver wire and list of free agents that the Giants could potentially have interest in.

Author:
Brandon Olsen
Publish date:
Aug 29, 2023 7:05 PM EDT

In this story:

Final roster cutdown day is one of the most devastating days in football, but it’s also a necessity for team-building. And while the New York Giants have trimmed their roster down, other teams have also done so, leaving many talented players looking for new homes.

It's important to remember that a player being cut isn't necessarily because he was bad. Sometimes, it comes down to not being a scheme fit, having a rough preseason game, getting swept up in the numbers game, or being a cap casualty.

Let's look at some players without NFL homes that could draw the Giants' interest.

OT Connor Galvin

Undrafted rookie Connor Galvin signed with the Detroit Lions earlier this year but was part of the Lions last round of cuts to get their roster down to 53. Galvin was one of the most experienced players in the 2023 NFL Draft, playing over 3,500 total offensive snaps while at Baylor.

With the Lions this preseason, Galvin played 39 pass-blocking snaps and allowed two pressures and zero sacks in those opportunities. With plenty of power (29 bench press reps at the NFL Combine), experience as a blocker, and the lack of quality depth offensive linemen in the NFL, it’s worth a shot for the Giants to take a swing on a player like Galvin to fill out the back of their roster.

S Trey Dean III

This was a surprising cut by the New York Jets, considering his strong preseason. In four games, Dean registered 23 total tackles with nine stops for a gain of three or fewer while having no missed tackles and allowing just 24 yards on three targets and three catches.

Before the 2023 Draft, Dean was a name that I thought the Giants should look at due to his physicality, athleticism, and man-coverage ability, making him a strong fit for Wink Martindale’s aggressive defensive system.

Dean also has experience being used as a pass-rusher from his earlier days playing slot corner at Florida, registering three sacks in that season.

IOL Deonte Brown

A former Day 3 pick out of Alabama, Deonte Brown took some time to acclimate to the NFL and had a strong preseason before being released. Reports have come out that the Panthers would like to keep Brown should he make it through waivers unclaimed, but the Giants should make sure that doesn’t happen.

Brown blocks with power could compete with Shane Lemieux and Marcus McKethan on the interior. Versatility on the inside and durability are two strong selling points for Brown as he looks to push for an active roster spot in the NFL.

CB Greedy Williams

A once highly-regarded cornerback coming out of LSU, things never seemed to click for Greedy Williams with the Cleveland Browns. Williams spent this past preseason with the Eagles; I don’t believe he was ever a strong fit for the Eagles scheme. Given his skillset, he’s better suited to operate in a man-heavy system like Wink Martindale’s.

Williams is a veteran corner who could step in and add length, experience, and depth on the boundary that the Giants are currently lacking. With a few years of NFL experience but still being young, Williams is the kind of “maybe we can get the most out of him” add that the Giants were hoping Amani Oruwariye would be.

OL Hakeem Adeniji

Versatility is the name of the game when talking about depth pieces on the offensive line, and few players are more versatile than Hakeem Adeniji. Adeniji has started games at left tackle, right tackle, and right guard in his NFL career while also lining up as the occasional extra tight end, which the Giants did some last season.

Adeniji has had his fair share of struggles in pass protection but has been steady as a run blocker. If he landed with the Giants, he would have more help pass-blocking than he had with the Bengals.

TE Justin Rigg

Justin Rigg is the type of tight end who could come in and potentially be a Daniel Bellinger clone. Rigg has soft, reliable hands and isn’t afraid to get dirty in the blocking game.

Rigg has little NFL experience, but in college, he dropped just one pass in six years with the Kentucky Wildcats. Given all the 12- and 13-personnel the Giants will likely play, having another tight end on the roster might not be such a bad idea.

QB Bailey Zappe

Following the release of Tommy DeVito, the hope is he will make it through waivers to be a practice squad addition. If he doesn't, Zappe could be a name to watch as the team's developmental prospect and potential QB2 of the future.

Zappe last season played in four games and started two where he had 781 yards, five touchdowns, three interceptions, and completed just under 71 percent of his passes. Zappe doesn’t have the physical traits to be a high-end QB1 in the league, but he’s, at worst, a very good QB2.

CB Darius Rush

The Colts let rookie Darius Rush go as part of their final cuts. Rush had a very strong pre-draft process, including a dominant Senior Bowl performance in man coverage drills.

At South Carolina, Rush operated in zone frequently, and that was the same with the Colts, but the Giants should take a swing and see if Rush can bring back those man coverage skills from the Senior Bowl and put them on display consistently in a team setting.