Giants Tweak Practice Squad
The Giants terminated the practice squad contracts of quarterback Cooper Rush and veteran running back Rod Smith on Tuesday and replaced them with veteran running back Alfred Morris and quarterback Clayton Thorson.
The signing of Morris, a sixth-round pick out of Florida Atlantic 2012, gives the Giants a highly experienced and accomplished running back on their practice squad.
The Giants faced Morris as a divisional opponent from 2012-15 when he was Washington's leading rusher. Morris made the Pro Bowl two times in that span and was named a Second-Team All-Pro selection as a rookie in 2012.
Morris has experience on offenses that run the read-option and could be part of the Giants offense down the line if offensive coordinator Jason Garrett decides to run more read-option plays.
Thorson, a fifth-round pick out of Northwestern in 2019, has prior NFC East experience that began with his sting in the Eagles training camp last year.
Thorson didn't make the Eagles roster, but he did get picked up by the Cowboys, with whom he spent the entire 2019 season on the Dallas Cowboy's practice squad.
Rush, an undrafted free agent out of Central Michigan in 2017, was originally claimed off of waivers on May 5 after spending his prior career with Jason Garrett in Dallas.
Rush failed to make the initial 53-man roster on September 5 but was signed to the practice squad the following day.
Smith, an undrafted free agent out of Ohio State in 2015, was signed to his second Giants contract when he was added to the practice squad on September 8 after spending last year's training camp with the Giants.
Smith also has a history in Garrett's offense, having played in Dallas for three seasons from 2015-18, where he racked up 354 rushing yards.
This year NFL teams are permitted to carry 16 players on their practice squad, including four players with any number of NFL experience and four players whom the team can protect each week from poaching by other teams.
This week, the Giants have designated cornerback Chris Williamson, safety Sean Chandler, long snapper Carson Tinker and kicker Ryan Santoso as the four practice squad players they want to protect.
