Big Blue View
The New York Giants, along with the rest of the NFL, have set their initial 53-man rosters. Now comes the effort to use the waiver wire and free agency to upgrade what teams are starting with.
Most players released have the opportunity to latch on to their respective franchises’ practice squad. Each team is allowed 16 practice squad players. However, waiving a player subjects him to opportunity; if an NFL team values a waived player, they can claim him onto their 53-man roster. Players can also opt to join another team’s practice squad if there’s mutual interest.
The Giants currently hold the third waiver priority, meaning only the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns can claim a waived player before them. That’s, of course, if the Giants claim a waived player.
Joe Schoen and his staff were active at this time of year in 2022. They claimed Jason Pinnock, Nick McCloud, Justin Layne, and Jack Anderson. New York did not claim anyone in 2023 and claimed safety Anthony Johnson Jr. from the Green Bay Packers in 2024.
The Giants’ Pro Scouting Department will have a busy 24 hours to contemplate spending the third waiver priority on any of the players released. Primary positions to target are wide receiver, cornerback, and defensive line, but the Giants should not be shy to upgrade other positions if the right player is waived.
Also noteworthy, only players released with less than four years of NFL experience are subject to waivers; other players that are released will become free agents, and the Giants would not have to burn their waiver priority spot. Here are some players to consider:
The Giants received an up-close and personal look at Mathis through two joint practices and a preseason game. Mathis was involved in a fight with Giants’ guard Aaron Stinnie at the end of the first joint practice. The 27-year-old former Crimson Tide gap specialist was a 2022 second-round pick by the Washington Commanders. He suffered a knee injury in his rookie season and returned in 2023 to play in 12 games, totaling 25 tackles and seven pressures.
Washington waived Mathis in December of last season, and the Jets claimed him. The Jets traded for Harrison Philips last week, making Mathis’ presence on the roster expendable. This would be a low-upside depth signing to help fortify the run defense of the unit.
The release of Leal comes as a surprise, given that the Steelers’ first-round pick, Derrick Harmon, suffered a knee injury. Still, the Texas A&M 2022 third-round pick never scratched his potential since entering the league. He appeared in 28 regular-season games over three seasons with the Steelers, starting six. His career stats include 33 total tackles (18 solo), one sack, three tackles for loss, three quarterback hits, and four pass deflections. The Giants could use help on their defensive front — more so from a bigger body than the 6-foot-4, 390-pound Leal — but he is still...
