Giants Claim Former Jaguars RB Ryquell Armstead Off Waivers
One day after the Jacksonville Jaguars released former fifth-round running back Ryquell Armstead, the ex-Jaguar has found a new home in the NFC.
The New York Giants claimed Armstead off of waivers on Tuesday, meaning the 2019 draft pick never officially became a free agent and had some interest in his services following the Jaguars' release of him on Monday.
The Jaguars announced Monday they had waived Armstead after he spent the first two seasons of his NFL career with the team. The move gave the Jaguars an open roster spot and left their roster at 89 players, but the spot has yet to be filled.
The Jaguars drafted Armstead with the No. 140 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. He is the third member of the Jaguars' 2019 draft class to be traded or released this offseason, following tight end Josh Oliver and defensive tackle Dontavius Russell.
Armstead rushed 35 times for 108 yards as a rookie, while also catching 14 passes for 144 yards and two touchdowns. He didn't play in 2020 due to spending the season on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported last October that Armstead had been hospitalized twice.
Armstead's placement on the COVID-19 list last season helped open the door for James Robinson to take over as the team's top running back following Fournette's release a week before the first game of the season. Armstead didn't play a snap in 2020 while Robinson was one of the most utilized running backs in the NFL.
The Jaguars have added multiple players to the running back room this offseason, signing veteran Carlos Hyde in free agency and then drafting Clemson running back Travis Etienne at No. 25 overall. As things stand today, the Jaguars' running back consists of the following players:
- James Robinson
- Travis Etienne
- Carlos Hyde
- Devine Ozigbo
- Dare Ogunbowale
- Nathan Cottrell
