It’s cutdown day in the NFL and every team is paring their rosters down to 53 players. The New York Giants once again will turn over a great number of players this season and are expected to be active even after the deadline for rosters comes and goes at 4:00 p.m. Eastern on Saturday.
Last year, general manager Dave Gettleman signed six players after the Giants submitted their final 53-man roster. Here are some players they might look at this year.
LB Shane Ray
The 23rd overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft out of Missouri was not re-signed by the Broncos and was picked up by Baltimore, who released him on Friday. Ray is a capable pass rusher (he had eight sacks in 2016), but as a complete linebacker/defensive end, it’s difficult to see the value-add here for the Giants unless he can add something on special teams as well.
LB Brandon Marshall
Another former Bronco linebacker on the street. Marshall will turn 30 in two weeks and was not up to snuff with Oakland, who let him go this week. Marshall is coming off a knee injury and is no longer a solid pass-coverage guy. He can still make plays as an off-ball linebacker but he’s in decline.
P Britton Colquitt
Colquitt was the Browns’ punter since 2016 and was named an alternate to the Pro Bowl last season. He was the Broncos’ punter in Super Bowl 50. The Giants have been throwing challengers at Riley Dixon all summer, so they are clearly looking for any upgrade they can find at punter.
WR Laquon Treadwell
Treadwell was taken 23rd overall by the Vikings in the 2016 NFL Draft and never established himself in his three seasons there. He came out of Ole Miss as a big play, deep threat but the never translated to the field in Minnesota. The Giants could show some interest since he played for Pat Shurmur in Minny but that could also work against him.
WR Keelan Doss
The Hard Knocks star out of UC Davis that was almost certain to make the Raiders’ 53 was waived on Saturday in a surprise move. Some team will claim him as he appears to have quite a bit of upside. Will the Giants be that team? Probably not but fans wouldn’t mind if they took a flier on him.
QB Kyle Sloter
The Giants waived Kyle Lauletta on Saturday and it stands to reason they part ways with Alex Tanney as well. And if they want to carry three quarterbacks this season, Pat Shurmur could go back to the Minnesota well and bring in Kyle Sloter, whom he’s spoken very highly of in the past. That is, of course, if Minnesota isn’t able to trade him first.
