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Giants Make Roster Moves Ahead of Jets Game

The Giants add a punt returner and elevate two from the practice squad. Here's what those moves mean.
Patricia Traina|
Giants Make Roster Moves Ahead of Jets Game
Giants Make Roster Moves Ahead of Jets Game

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New York Giants

The New York Giants have signed receiver/punt returner Gunner Olszewski from their practice squad to their 53-man roster Saturday. Olszewski takes the spot that opened after the team placed running back Gary Brightwell (hamstring) on injured reserve.

Before signing with the Giants practice squad, Olszewski had been with the Steelers for over a season. The wide receiver, who played his college ball at Bemidji State, originally signed as an undrafted free agent with the New England Patriots in 2019. He spent three seasons with the Patriots before joining the Steelers in 2022.

The 5-foot-10, 180-pound Olszewski, a converted cornerback, was named a first-team All-Pro in 2020, the same season in which he was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week in Week 13 that year.

He's appeared in 55 games with four starts and has returned 75 punts for 897 yards and one touchdown, a 12.0 yards per return average. Olszewski has also returned 41 kickoffs for 904 yards, a 22.0 yards per return average.

"He does a good job of tracking the ball and is an excellent punt catcher," Giants special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey said earlier this week. "Early in his career, he had a really, really good start. He does a great job of getting the ball vertical, so he's a good player.

McGaughey also added that the plan was to get all the potential punt return candidates ready to go by having them field punts inside the stadium and on the practice field.

In addition to Olszewski, the Giants elevated quarterback Tommy DeVito and outside linebacker Oshane Ximines from the practice squad, each for the third time this season. DeVito will serve as a backup to Tyrod Taylor, who gets the start with Daniel Jones having been declared out.

The decision to elevate Ximines over tight end Lawrence Cager likely means that Darren Waller, listed as questionable on this week's injury report with a hamstring issue, should be good to go on Sunday. 

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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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