New York Giants 2023 Roster Transactions (Official)
With the 2023 preseason in the books, the New York Giants have established their initial 53-man roster. All moves listed below have been confirmed by the team, but do keep in mind there will be some tweaks made to the roster over the next several weeks, especially if there are plans to move guys to injured reserve so that they can return at a later date.
Waived/Injured
Explanation: If not claimed, these players will revert to the Giants injured reserve list. The Giants can then retain them on IR or reach an injury settlement, which is calculated using the amount of time that the team and player agree the player will be unable to play. So, if it is agreed that a player will miss four games, he will receive 4/17ths of his 2023 base salary as a settlement at minimum.
OL Jack Anderson (calf): Anderson suffered a calf injury in the Giants' second preseason game and hasn't been able to get on the field since. Originally brought on for his versatility--he can play all the guard positions and center--he became a long shot to make the roster even when healthy. He will likely end up with an injury settlement if he goes unclaimed and lands on the Giants' injured reserve list.
G Wyatt Davis (ankle): Davis suffered a high ankle sprain in the second half of Saturday's preseason finale against the Jets. He likely wasn't making the 53-man roster anyway, given the depth the team has at guard and his inability to play at tackle, where he was asked to play (with abysmal results) in the preseason opener against Detroit.
DB Zyon Gilbert (hamstring): Gilbert showed enough intrigue last year to warrant a spot on the practice squad. However, with the Giants looking to get bigger and faster on defense, Gilbert seemed overmatched too often on defense, especially on special teams, where he auditioned for a gunner role. Gilbert played 17 snaps this summer in the slot, but with Darnay Holmes agreeing to take a pay cut, the Giants should be set at slot cornerback for now.
Waived (Not Subject to Recall)
Explanation: These players have fewer than four years of accrued experience and are subject to the NFL's waiver wire, in which teams can place claims on the players' contracts. Priority is given to those teams higher up in the order, which is determined based on the 2023 draft order up until the first three weeks of the season when it will be determined by won-loss percentage. Players played on waivers are not eligible to be recalled by their last team, meaning the Giants cannot put a claim in on any player they've waived. If a player clears waivers, he becomes an unrestricted free agent and becomes eligible for the team's practice squad.
DE Ryder Anderson: Anderson has been sidelined most of the summer with a triceps injury and was still not ready to practice as of last week. We are awaiting the final NFL transaction report to see if Anderson received a waived/injured designation, as we suspect is the case; if so, he will land on the team's injured reserve list if he clears waivers.
DE Kobe Smith: Smith was added for depth this summer when the team was without A'Shawn Robison (knee/PUP) and Rakeem Nunez-Roches.
S Alex Cook: Cook showed some promise as a run defender, showing instincts and taking precise and aggressive angles to the ball carrier before finishing his tackles. Although he has average foot speed, Cook's instincts are a feather in his cap and what will likely earn him a spot on the practice squad.
DB Gemon Green: Green allowed a unit-high 90 percent opponent reception percentage this preseason. He delivered a mix of good and bad in his coverage but needs additional development before he's ready to challenge for a spot on an NFL roster.
TE Ryan Jones: Jones, who is still learning the tight end position, will likely land on the practice squad, where he'll need to work on blocking in space.
OLB Tomon Fox: Fox was an undrafted free agent success story from the University of North Carolina last year. In 16 games with one start (320 defensive snaps), he recorded 24 tackles and one sack. Fox started to see his snaps decline in the last quarter of the season, save for the regular-season finale when he got the start in the meaningless game against the Eagles. He only saw seven defensive snaps in the postseason.
LB Ray Wilborn: Wilborn, a late summer addition, was acquired off waivers from the Broncos on August 15. Known for his special teams play, Wilborn flashed some as an inside linebacker. However, he got caught up in the numbers game at inside linebacker. Still, don't be surprised if the Giants add him to the practice squad if he clears waivers, as he appears to have traits the coaches can work with.
LB Dyonte Johnson: Johnson impressed in the spring as an undrafted free agent out of Toledo, but had a quiet preseason.
OL Tyre Phillips (lower body): Phillips is a big-bodied offensive lineman who gave the Giants snaps at guard and tackle this summer before his injury. Although Phillips returned to practice recently, he wasn't considered "ready" to return to live action, per head coach Brian Daboll.
QB Tommy DeVito: DeVito opened quite a few eyes this summer with his preseason showing. Receiving the bulk of the snaps, DeVito, sacked nine times, and finished 43 of 64 for 453 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions for an 85.0 NFL passer rating. Keeping three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster always did seem to be a bit of a stretch, but the Giants are likely hoping to slide DeVito onto the practice squad.
LS Cam Lyons: There was little question that Lyons would be among the cuts so long as veteran long snapper Casey Kreiter was healthy. Back in the spring, Giants special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey, when asked why carry a second long snapper in camp, noted that it was to have a youngster to develop for down the line, which they will do if they can slip Lyons onto the practice squad.
WR Kalil Pimpleton: Seeing Pimpleton as a return specialist would have been interesting. However, again, there wasn't any room for this one-time Hard Knocks darling (from his Detroit Lions days) once the team decided that Eric Gray would handle that role. Pimpleton, who did get one punt return opportunity which he fair caught, finished with four receptions for 33 yards this summer, working both in the slot and out wide.
OLB Habakkuk Baldonado: Baldonado was always a longshot to stick on the 53-man roster given the depth in front of him. He may have shown just enough to be considered for the practice squad.
RB Jashaun Corbin: Corbin, a second-year player who initially joined the Giants last season as an undrafted free agent, had perhaps his finest training camp to date, finishing with 51 rushing yards on 16 carries and a touchdown, and 30 receiving yards on six catches. Corbin competed for the final spot on the running backs depth chart with Gary Brightwell, who had been sidelined with a knee issue for most of the month. This move suggests Brightwell should be ready for the start of the regular season. As for Corbin, the Giants are thought to be hoping he clears waivers.
WR Collin Johnson: Johnson gave it his all in an attempt to return from a torn Achilles suffered last season, but a knee injury in the preseason game against the Lions interrupted his summer this year to where he wasn't heard from again in the preseason.
RB James Robinson: Robinson finished as the Giants' preseason rushing leader with 74 yards on 20 carries. He had a surge in his numbers in the loss to the Jets, picking up 55 of his preseason rushing yards on ten carries. Robinson, formerly an undrafted free agent signed by the Jaguars, was signed by the Giants at the start of training camp amidst the uncertainty surrounding Saquon Barkley and his contract situation, which eventually got resolved.
DL Kevin Atkins: Atkins was brought in to help bolster the defensive line depth while Rakeem Nunez-Roches and A'Shawn Robinson were getting ramped up from their respective setbacks. Atkins, who was a long shot to make the roster, didn't flash all summer.
DL Donovan Jeter: Same situation as Atkins and Bryant, though Jeter did manage three tackles against the Jets and could have some practice squad appeal.
DB Darren Evans: Evans didn't help himself with his lack of physicality in the game. Against the Jets, he often fell off tackles or bailed away from contact. He was also the guilty party of the Jets' last touchdown when he whiffed on that tackle attempt.
Contract Terminated
Explanation: These are vested veterans with more than four years of accrued service. They are not subject to waivers and are free, as unrestricted free agents, to negotiate a new contract with any club, including their former club, if it is a procedural move.
CB Amani Oruwariye: Oruwariye was given a fresh start with the Giants after a disappointing ending to his tenure in Detroit. But between his lackluster showing on defense and special teams, his not making the team is no surprise.
WR Cole Beasley: Beasley will have his contract terminated to allow the Giants to carry some injured players they hope to get back later in the season. Being a vested veteran, Beasley is not subject to waivers, so at some point, it's expected he'll be brought back.
WR David Sills V: Sills made a late-preseason push for a roster spot with his six-catch, 81-yard, one-touchdown showing against the Jets, but in reality, the numbers were always stacked against him cracking the 53-man roster so long as Isaiah Hodgins and Darius Slayton were healthy. It will be interesting to see if Sills lands back on the Giants practice squad, where he's been for all or part of each of the last four seasons.
OC Sean Harlow: Harlow was added to the roster after the team lost J.C. Haussenauer to a season-ending injury early in camp. With the Giants leaning toward keeping Ben Bredeson and Shane Lemieux, two guys that can play center if starter John Michael Schmitz isn't available, Harlow wasn't needed moving forward.
OLB Oshane Ximines: After acquiring Carlos "Boogie" Basham in a trade with the Bills, Oshane Ximines, the Giants' third-round draft pick in 2019, is the odd man out. The Giants acquired Ximines with the team's extra third-round pick in the Odell Beckham Jr trade. After flashing a bit as a rookie with 4.5 sacks in 16 games, the Old Dominion product struggled to replicate that production while missing most of his second season with a shoulder issue. Ximines had been an unrestricted free agent this past off-season, but the Giants waited until after the draft to bring him back. In 99 preseason snaps, Ximines managed six pressures but struggled in run defense.
WR Jamison Crowder: Crowder always seemed to be a bit of a long shot to make the 53-man roster, especially after he didn't get much of an opportunity in the preseason to return punts (the role going to running back Eric Gray). With the news of receiver Wan'Dale Robinson being activated off the PUP list, Crowder gets caught up in the numbers game.
WR Jaydon Mickens: Mickens caught both of his targets for 23 yards, showing excellent avoidability on one of them, making two defenders miss in the game against the Jets. He finished with four receptions for 41 yards and a 109.4 NFL target rating, returning two kickoffs for 48 yards (a long of 30). Unfortunately, he's a slot receiver stuck in a receiver room full of slot guys. Mickens' quickness could, however, land him with another club.
DL Brandin Bryant: As was the case with Atkins, Bryant was brought in to reinforce the training camp depth at defensive tackle.
OL Julien Davenport: Davenport was a late addition to the training camp roster but didn't impress. Playing mostly at right tackle, he allowed far too many edge pressures, leaving the Giants to continue their search for tackle depth.
OT Korey Cunningham: Cunningham showed his versatility, playing tackle and guard, but he couldn't cut off the pressure that kept coming at him.
OLB/DE Tashawn Bower: Bower didn't make much noise against the Jets. He might have had a slim chance before, but that was before Isaiah Simmons's arrival.
Injured Reserve
Explanation: Players placed on injured reserve before the initial 53-man rosters are set are not eligible to return to the club this season. These players may receive an injury settlement if a team wishes to move on from them.
WR Bryce Ford-Wheaton (ACL). Ford-Wheaton appeared to be heading toward a roster spot for his special teams work. However, he suffered a knee injury in the first half of the preseason finale against the Jets, which turned out to be the dreaded torn ACL. He is out for the season.
TE Chris Myarick (hand): Myarick suffered a broken bone in his hand in the second half of the preseason finale. Until then, he had shown flashes of ability as a blocker and appeared to have the inside edge for a spot on the practice squad, with Tommy Sweeney unable to play since Week 1 of the preseason.
Reserve/Non-Football Illness
TE Tommy Sweeney: Sweeney, who had been sidelined with an undisclosed injury for most of the preseason, experienced a "medical event" last week that necessitated him being carted off the field without a shirt. The Giants never clarified what the ailment was, but the Giants are not taking any chances with Sweeney's health.
PUP
Explanation: Players placed on PUP to start the season must miss a minimum of four games. These are players who are not yet able to pass a team physical.
CB Aaron Robinson (knee): Robinson will continue his rehab for another month and will not count against the 53-man roster. Robinson will be eligible to come off PUP after the Giants' fourth regular season game if he can pass a physical.
- Get the latest breaking news and analysis on the New York Giants
- Follow and like us on Facebook
- Submit your questions for our mailbag
- Check out the Giants Country YouTube Channel.
- Subscribe and like the LockedOn Giants YouTube Channel
- Connect with us via text alerts! Free 14 Day Trial!
