Thoughts on Giants 53 Man Roster
Roster cuts used to go from 90 players to 75 players after the third preseason game. This season, it went from 90 players to 53 players after the preseason finished. The New York Giants and the rest of the league had until 4 p.m. today to make roster cuts.
The Giants didn't seem to have to many shockers. The quarterbacks will be Eli Manning, Geno Smith, and rookie Davis Webb. Smith will be the backup but Webb is the future. Josh Johnson also competed to be the backup, but he didn't do enough to beat out Geno Smith.
The running backs will be Paul Perkins, Shane Vereen, Orleans Darkwa, and Wayne Gallman. This is not a surprise at all and this is what I thought the backfield was going to be to begin with.
I thought the Giants were going to keep wide receiver Travis Rudolph on the roster, but they decided to cut him. Brandon Marshall, Odell Beckham Jr., Sterling Shepard, Roger Lewis Jr., Tavarres King, and Dwayne Harris will be the wide receivers. It is basically the same corps of wide outs from a year ago with the addition of Marshall.
The Giants decided to add a fullback to the roster this season. Shane Smith will be the full back. What is another interesting decision made by Head Coach Ben McAdoo is to keep four tight ends on the roster and Will Tye is not one of them. Rhett Ellison, Evan Engram, Jerell Adams, and Matt LaCosse. The reason they did this is probably because of the lack of blocking the offensive line has to offer.
New York's starting offensive line will be Ereck Flowers, Justin Pugh, Weston Richburg, John Jerry, and Bobby Hart. Jerry was awful in the preseason and I thought Ben Jones should be starting in his place. Jones is one of the backup offensive lineman though. D.J. Fluker and undrafted rookie Chad Wheeler are the other backups. Ben McAdoo loves Wheeler's upside. Sixth-round pick Bisnowaty was released.
Jason Pierre-Paul, Oliver Vernon, Romeo Okwara, Avery Moss, and Kerry Wynn are the defensive ends. Damon Harrison, Jay Bromley, Robert Thomas, and Dalvin Tomlinson are the defensive tackles.
Devon Kennard, B.J. Goodson, Jonathan Casillas will be the starting linebackers. The backup linebackers aren't that strong but they are J.T. Thomas, undrafted rookie Calvin Munson, and Keenan Robinson. Mark Herzlich was placed on injured-reserve.
Eli Apple, Janoris Jenkins, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Ross Cockrell (acquired from Pittsburgh Steelers earlier in day), and Michael Hunter will be the corners. I am surprised Donte Deayon didn't make the team because he had a good preseason.
Darian Thompson, Landon Collins, Nat Berhe, and Andrew Adams will be the safeties. Aldrick Rosas will be the kicker after beating out Mike Nugent for the job. The game-winning 48-yard field goal by Rosas sealed his fate.
Brad Wing will be the punter and Zak DeOssie will be the long snapper. Dwayne Harris will be the primary kick and punt returner.
The Giants have a very talented roster and it has Super Bowl potential, but it is all up to Eli Manning and the offensive line on whether they want it or not.
