The New York Giants announced their 2019 practice squad on Sunday, bringing back some familiar names and fan favorites along the way.
The practice squad consists of a maximum of 10 players — four of them can have NFL experience of no more than two accrued seasons (six games or more constitutes an accrued season). The rest are supposed to be true rookies who have less than one accrued season.
For those wondering why recently released wide receiver Alonzo Russell was not signed to the practice squad, he wasn’t eligible. A player can only serve as a practice squad player for three seasons. Russell spent the past three seasons on the practice squads of the Cincinnati Bengals, Arizona Cardinals and the Giants.
Here’s who the Giants are bringing in to the practice squad to begin the season:
Linebacker Jake Carlock
The kid from LIU did everything the Giants asked of him, but truth be told, he’s a player without a position. He’s tailor-made for the practice squad as he can play multiple positions and play them fairly well. What the Giants will do with Carlock from here is try to find what roles fits him best and then drill him at it.
Linebacker Josiah Tauaefa
Led the Giants in tackles in the preseason and has a nose for the football and the action. Might have been in over his head a bit in the beginning, but many (including yours truly) thought Tauaefa came on strong this summer and would make the final 53. The inability to trade B.J. Goodson may have been the reason the Giants didn’t keep him.
Wide receiver Reggie White Jr.
The Monmouth kid showed he can make some big plays when called upon but you can tell he is green and still needs some seasoning. A year on the practice squad might do the trick. He has to hone his talent and skills to the pro game, become more consistent, in order for the Giants to elevate him to the active roster.
Offensive lineman Evan Brown
Brown is back after spending most of last season on the practice squad. The Giants like what he brings to the interior of the line and also knows the offense if they have to reach down and add a player this season. Brown can play center and both guard positions if needed.
Defensive lineman Freedom Akinmoladun
Former Nebraska products spent the summer with the Giants and held his own for the most part. The bottom line is that general manager Dave Gettleman has been stockpiling defensive lineman since he got here and there just isn’t room enough on the roster this year. Freedom should provide needed depth in practice, however, which is what the Giants will need this season.
Running back Jonathan Hilliman
Hilliman is a compact, thick runner who we’ve seen some flashes from. He juts got caught up in the numbers game. The Giants have Saquon Barkley, Wayne Gallman and Paul Perkins, who all catch the football well. The decision to keep fullback Elijah Penny is what got Hilliman cut, but now he’s back in the fold.
Tight end C.J. Conrad
The kid out of Kentucky was a favorite of the fans and the coaches, but the truth of the matter he was beaten out by Garrett Dickerson and the Giants weren’t going to carry four tight ends, even after Scott Simonson got hurt. Good to see Conrad back. He could develop into a solid player.
Cornerback Corn Elder
Was drafted by Gettleman in Carolina in the fifth round back in 2017 out of Miami. He spent his rookie year on IR with a patellar stress fracture. Elder played just 61 snaps last year over 13 games making three solo tackles. Not sure what he’s bringing to the party except Gettleman taking a flier on a second chance for one of his old draftees.
Defensive lineman Chris Slayton
A seventh-round pick of the Giants this past April, Slayton was up and down during his first training camp and preseason. He showed promise and even flashed a time or two, but he faced tall odds to make the 53-man roster from the onset. Now on the practice squad, he will have the opportunity to learn James Bettcher’s defense for a year and then return to fight for a spot in 2020.
Wide receiver David Sills
A highly-touted High School athlete, Sills was on board to take over at quarterback at USC, but things didn’t quite work out and he ended up bouncing around college a bit before landing back at West Virginia and establishing himself as physical, big-bodied wide receiver — the same role he’ll have with the Giants.
