Giants Gain Additional Salary Cap Savings in Release OL James Hudson III

The move to drop veteran offensive lineman James Hudson III comes as no surprise.

Sep 14, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; New York Giants offensive tackle James Hudson III (55) is called for a unnecessary roughness after a play against Dallas Cowboys defensive end Sam Williams (54) during the first quarter at AT&T Stadium. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

While the New York Giants decision to retain running back Devin Singletary, who accepted a pay cut, came as a salary-cap-related surprise, their decision to release veteran offensive lineman James Hudson III, confirmed by the team, did not.

The 27-year-old Hudson, 6-foot-5 and 310 pounds, was signed last offseason to a two year, $12 million deal that included $6.01 million guaranteed and a $4.61 million signing bonus.

His role was to be the team’s veteran swing tackle, and in fact, he started out the season at left tackle for Andrew Thomas while Thomas completed his recovery from season-ending foot surgery that he had the year prior.

Unfortunately for Hudson, who came to the Giants front from the Cleveland Browns, he just didn’t work out in the swing tackle role that the team had planned for him.

Hudson, according to Pro Football Focus, ranked 131st out of 134 offensive tackles overall with a 33.0 overall blocking grade.

His career-low moment coming in the team’s Week 2 game last season against the Cowboys when he registered a 17.2 overall grade after incurring four penalties (three on one drive) in what can best be described as a meltdown of epic proportions.

That performance, which led to Hudson being benched mid-game, came on the heels of Hudson having allowed six pressures in the regular-season opener against Washington.

The two showings combined led the Giants to bench Hudson in favor of rookie fifth-round draft pick Marcus Mbow, who settled in at left tackle until Thomas was ready to return to full-time action.

Mbow, who stepped in for Jermaine Eluemunor at right tackle in Week 9, was also the coaches’ choice to fill in for Thomas when he suffered a hamstring strain and ended up missing the final two games of the season.  

The release of Hudson saves the Giants $5.38 million on their salary cap, while also depositing $2.305 million in the dead money column.

The Giants are now estimated to have $15,174,521 in total cap space and have erased the -$304,779 deficit under the Top 51; the new figure in that column stands at approximately $5,075,221.

These figures do not yet account for the team’s re-signing of receiver/return specialist Gunner Olszewski, who is believed to have signed a one-year veteran minimum deal, or the pay cut taken by Singletary.

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