Last Updated: April 11, 2025
2025 New York Giants Free Agent Losses
QB DREW LOCK (to the Seattle Seahawks): The Giants signed Drew Lock as an unrestricted free agent from the Seattle Seahawks in March 2024. Although he was designated at the team’s primary back-up, the Giants at first started Tommy DeVito when Daniel Jones was benched in November. DeVito got hurt immediately and Lock started the next two games until he got injured (heel/left elbow). Then Lock started the final three games. In all, Lock played in eight games with five starts. He went 1-4 as a starter, completing less than 60 percent of his passes, throwing six touchdown passes and five interceptions (including three that went for defensive scores). Lock’s only bright spot was his Week 17 game against the Indianapolis Colts where he threw four touchdown passes and no interceptions, ran for a touchdown, and was credited with a 155.3 passer rating (he finished the season with a 75.5 rating). The 6’4”, 228-pound Lock was originally drafted in the 2nd round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. After three years in Denver, Lock was traded to the Seattle Seahawks in March 2022 as part of the Russell Wilson mega-trade. Overall, in six NFL seasons, Lock has played in 36 regular-season games with 28 starts (10-18 record). While Lock occasionally flashes, he simply has been far too inconsistent, inaccurate, and mistake-prone, even for a back-up quarterback.
QB TIM BOYLE (to the Tennessee Titans): The Giants signed Tim Boyle to the Practice Squad and then 53-man roster in November 2024. After injuries to Drew Lock and Tommy DeVito, Boyle was forced to play half a game in Week 15. He finished that contest 12-of-24 for 123 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. The 6’4”, 232-pound Boyle was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Green Bay Packers after the 2018 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Packers (2018-2020), Detroit Lions (2021-2022), Chicago Bears (2022), New York Jets (2023), Houston Texans (2023-2024), and Miami Dolphins (2024). Overall, Boyle has played in 23 regular-season games with five starts (0-5 as a starter). He has completed 60.5 percent of his passes for 1,210 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions.
OLB AZEEZ OJULARI (to the Philadelphia Eagles): After a promising rookie season in 2021, Ojulari’s stock has plummeted. The Giants drafted Ojulari in the 2nd round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He played in all 17 games with 13 starts as a rookie, finishing with 48 tackles, eight tackles for losses, eight sacks, 13 quarterback hits, two pass defenses, and one forced fumble. However, Ojulari’s three ensuing seasons have been an injury-plagued mess. He missed 10 games in 2022, six games in 2023, and six games in 2024 with multiple lower body injuries (hamstring, calf, ankle, and toe). Each of the last three seasons he has been placed on Injured Reserve. Ojulari finished 2024 playing in 11 games with five starts, being credited with 28 tackles, seven tackles for losses, six sacks, 10 quarterback hits, and one fumble recovery. When Ojulari plays, he can be disruptive and get after the passer (22 career sacks). But he simply can’t stay on the field. He also is not the most physical or stout run defender.
OLB PATRICK JOHNSON (to the Philadelphia Eagles): The Giants claimed Patrick Johnson off of waivers from the Philadelphia Eagles in September 2024. The Giants placed him on Injured Reserve in December 2024 with a knee injury. He ended up playing in 12 games with no starts with most of his playing time coming on special teams (just 46 defensive snaps). He was credited with four tackles. The 6’2”, 248-pound Johnson was originally drafted in the 7th round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Eagles. He has played in 61 regular-season games with two starts, accruing 39 tackles, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. Most of his playing time has come on special teams although he did play in 21 percent of defensive snaps for the Eagles in 2022.
CB ADOREE’ JACKSON (to the Philadelphia Eagles): The Giants took an odd approach with Adoree’ Jackson in 2024. After a very disappointing season in 2023, the Giants chose to not re-sign him for almost six months until the end of August. Jackson played sporadically through the first 11 games, missing three games with calf and neck injuries. He then started the next five games before splitting time in the finale. In all, Jackson played in 14 games with five starts, finishing with 28 tackles, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and five pass defenses. Jackson played 47 percent of the defensive snaps in those 14 games, and was decent in coverage. However, he was flagged four times for pass interference. Jackson was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the 1st round of the 2017 NFL Draft. The Giants signed Jackson in March 2021 after he was cut by the Titans. His four years with the Giants have been an injury-prone, up-and-down affair. Jackson has missed games for six consecutive years, and all four years with the Giants. Jackson has average size, but is a good athlete and has flashed solid play throughout his career. While he has 61 pass defenses in his career, he only had four interceptions in eight seasons.
S JASON PINNOCK (to the San Francisco 49ers): For the second year in a row, Jason Pinnock started 16 games and played virtually every defensive snap (95 percent in both seasons). He missed one game with an abdomen injury. In both 2023 and 2024, he was credited with 85 tackles. Pinnock did not make plays on the ball, with only one pass defense and no interceptions. He continued to flash as a blitzer with two sacks in 2023 and three in 2024. Pinnock was originally drafted in the 5th round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the New York Jets. The Giants claimed Pinnock off of waivers from the Jets in late August 2022. Pinnock is a physical, aggressive player with good speed. Solid, consistent, and dependable, Pinnock is a good run defender, reliable in coverage, and an aggressive blitzer. But he lacks play-making instincts against the pass with only 10 pass breakups and one interception since joining the Giants.
2024 New York Giants Free Agent Losses
RB MATT BREIDA (to the San Francisco 49ers): For the past two seasons, Breida served as the team’s primary back-up behind Saquon Barkley, playing in 26 percent of all offensive snaps. And for the second season in a row, he played in all 17 games, with one start in 2022 and four starts in 2023. However, as with Barkley, the issues at quarterback and on the offensive line reduced his productivity. Breida’s rushing yards dropped from 220 yards on 54 carries (4.1 yards per carry) to 151 yards on 55 carries (2.7 yards per carry). In both years, he had one rushing touchdown. Breida has also caught a total of 37 passes for 206 yards in the past two seasons. The Giants signed Breida as an unrestricted free agent from the Buffalo Bills in March 2022. Breida was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the San Francisco 49ers after the 2017 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the 49ers (2017-2020), Miami Dolphins (2020), and Bills (2021). Breida lacks size (5’10”, 195lbs), but he is a quick, elusive back with good speed. He can also catch the football.
OG WYATT DAVIS (to the Cleveland Browns): The Giants placed Wyatt Davis on Injured Reserve in late August 2023 with an ankle injury he suffered in the preseason. He missed the entire regular season. The 6’4”, 315-pound Davis was originally selected in the 3rd round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. Davis spent time on both the 53-man roster (6 games with no starts) and Practice Squad as a rookie. The Vikings waived him in late August 2022 and the Giants immediately signed him to their Practice Squad. However, a week later the New Orleans Saints signed Davis to their 53-man roster. The Saints waived him in November and he was claimed off of waivers by the Cardinals, who cut him in late December 2022. The Giants then claimed Davis off of waivers from the Cardinals. In all, Davis has played in nine NFL games with no starts. His first real NFL action came in the Giants’ 2022 regular-season finale against the Eagles. He flashed with power in the running game.
WR STERLING SHEPARD (to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers): The Giants made an odd decision to retain Sterling Shepard on the roster in 2023, especially given the fact the little-used receiver had no special teams value. While he played in 15 games with two starts, Shepard only received 15 percent of the offensive snaps. He finished the season with an embarrassing 10 catches for 57 yards with three dropped passes (the highest drop rate for a receiver on the team). Shepard was selected in the 2nd round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Giants. Shepard started all 16 games in 2016 and 2018, but missed significant time due to injury in his five other seasons before 2023, including tearing his ACL in September 2022. He has never come close to cracking the 1,000-yard mark in a single season or duplicating his 8-touchdown season of his rookie campaign (he now has 23 career touchdowns). In his prime, when healthy, Shepard was a fluid athlete with good quickness and route-running skills. But he’s at the end and may retire.
OG SHANE LEMIEUX (to the New Orleans Saints): After a promising rookie season in 2020, Shane Lemieux has had three disastrous, injury-plagued seasons in a row from 2021 to 2023. The Giants drafted Lemieux in the 5th round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He surprisingly ended up playing in 12 games with nine starts starts at left guard. In 2021, Lemieux injured his knee in training camp. He tried to play with the injury in the opener, but could not finish the game and spent the rest of the year on Injured Reserve. In 2022, Lemieux injured his toe in training camp and was placed on Injured Reserve in late August. The Giants activated him off of Injured Reserve in mid-November. He started in Week 11 against the Lions but could not finish the game and was placed on Injured Reserve again in late December. In 2023, Lemieux played in four games with one start at left guard, missing another game with a groin injury before being placed on Injured Reserve in October with a torn biceps. In all, Lemieux has only played in six games the past three years, being placed on IR four times. Ironically, the 6’4”, 310-pound Lemieux started an incredible 52 games in college, never missing a game. Before his series of injuries, Lemieux was a tough, feisty, blue-collar lineman with athletic limitations. To date, Lemieux has proven to be a good run blocker who struggles at times in pass protection.
LB CAM BROWN (to the Miami Dolphins): Drafted in the 6th round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Giants, Cam Brown has become exclusively a special teams player. Brown only received three defensive snaps in 2022 and none in 2023, while playing 85 percent of all special teams snaps. In 2023, he played in 16 games, and was credited with eight special teams tackles (second highest on the team). Brown is a tall, lanky athlete (6’5”, 233 pounds) who runs well.
WR PARRIS CAMPBELL (to the Philadelphia Eagles): The Giants signed Parris Campbell as an unrestricted free agent from the Indianapolis Colts in March 2023. After a solid training camp, Campbell did not deliver the goods despite playing in the first 12 games with three starts. Wan’Dale Robinson took his slot position and Campbell ended up being declared inactive by the team for the last five games. Campbell finished with just 20 catches for 104 yards (5.2 yards per catch). The 6’1”, 208-pound Campbell was originally drafted in the 2nd round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Colts. He had an injury-plagued first three seasons in Indianapolis, missing extensive time in 2019 (sports hernia, broken hand, broken foot), 2020 (MCL and PCL knee injury), and 2021 (broken foot). From 2019-2021, he only played in 15 games, catching a total of 34 catches for 360 yards and two touchdowns. Campbell finally played in all 17 games in 2022 with 16 starts. He finished the year with 63 catches for 623 yards and three touchdowns. Campbell has very good speed and quickness, but he was not productive at all for the team in 2023.
OLB JIHAD WARD (to the Minnesota Vikings): In his second season with the Giants, Jihad Ward remained a solid but unspectacular player whose value came more from reliability and veteran presence in the locker room. However, due to his close ties with Wink Martindale, his days with the Giants may be numbered. Ward played in all 17 games with nine starts, finishing with just 24 tackles, five tackles for losses, a career-high five sacks, nine quarterback hits, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. He played in 59 percent of all defensive snaps. The 6’5”, 287-pound Ward was originally drafted in the 2nd round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders. He has spent time with the Raiders (2016-2017), Dallas Cowboys (2018), Indianapolis Colts (2018-2019), Baltimore Ravens (2019-2020), and Jacksonville Jaguars (2021). The Giants signed Ward as an unrestricted free agent from the Jaguars in March 2022. Ward has played in 102 regular-season games with 35 starts, 20 of which have come with the Giants in the past two seasons. He is a better run defender than pass rusher with some inside-outside, defensive line-linebacker versatility.
OT MATT PEART (to the Denver Broncos): The Giants selected Matt Peart in the 3rd round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of the University of Connecticut due to his size (6’7”, 315 pounds) and overall athleticism. He looks the part. However, Peart has not developed as hoped, being more of finesse player than someone who wants to get dirty in the trenches. In his four seasons with the team, Peart has played in 43 regular-season games with seven starts. Five of those came in 2021 (three at left tackle, two at right tackle) when he was unable to push the struggling Nate Solder. Peart tore the ACL in his left knee in late December, not only ending his season but causing him to miss all of the 2022 offseason and preseason, and much of the regular season. He was activated from the PUP in mid-November 2022 and ended up playing in nine games with no starts. In the two games where he saw significant snaps at right tackle, he struggled. In 2023, Peart was inactive or did not play in nine games. In the eight games he did see action, Peart played about a third of the snaps in two games (one bad game and one decent game) and a full game at right tackle in the finale (where he played well). He was flagged twice in his limited snaps.
OL BEN BREDESON (to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers): It was chaotic season for Ben Bredeson and entire interior line crew of the Giants in 2023. Bredeson saw time at training camp at both guard positions and center, not being locked into one position. This continued into the regular season as Bredeson started four games at left guard, four at center, and eight at right guard. He started 16 games, missing Week 3 with a concussion. Overall, Bredeson did not play well and was a liability. His significant issues in pass protection were not offset by his run blocking, which was ordinary at best. He was also flagged six times. Bredeson was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens. The Giants acquired Bredeson by trade from the Ravens in late August 2021. Hampered by hand and ankle injuries, he only started one game for the Giants in 2021. Bredeson started eight games for the Giants in 2022 at left guard, but also missed six games due to a knee injury. Bredeson has good size (6’5”, 315 pounds). While he’s a try-hard guy whose best asset is his versatility, he lacks the power and athleticism to be anything more than a solid back-up.
DL A’SHAWN ROBINSON (to the Carolina Panthers): The Giants signed A’Shawn Robinson as an unrestricted free agent from the Los Angeles Rams in April 2023 to add some much-needed depth to the defensive line. Robinson was coming off a torn meniscus to one of his knees that he suffered in late November 2022 with the Rams. He began training camp on the PUP List and took some time to round back into form. However, by the second half of the season, Robinson proved to still be a top-notch run defender. His presence and strong play was needed given that the Giants had traded away previous fixture Leonard Williams in late October. Robinson played in all 17 games, with 13 starts, and finished the season with 62 tackles (most on defensive line), six tackles for a loss, one quarterback hit, and two pass defenses. He played 46 percent of defensive snaps. The 6’4”, 330-pound Robinson was originally drafted in the 2nd round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions. After spending four seasons with the Lions, Robinson signed a free agent contract with the Rams in 2020. Robinson is big, powerful run defender who does not generate much heat on the quarterback (only seven career sacks in eight seasons).
QB TYROD TAYLOR (to the New York Jets): In his second and possibly last season with the Giants, Tyrod Taylor started five games, finishing with a 2-3 record. His first three starts came in October after Daniel Jones was lost due to a neck injury. However, Taylor injured his ribs early in his third start, causing him to be placed on Injured Reserve for a month until December. When he returned to the 53-man roster, the team chose to start Tommy DeVito for two more games before turning back to Taylor in the final two games. Overall, Taylor played in 11 games with five starts, completing 64.4 percent of his passes for 1,341 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions. He also rushed for 197 yards. The Giants signed Taylor as an unrestricted free agent from the Houston Texans in March 2022. In his first year with the team, Taylor ended up playing at the end of three games, completing 6-of-8 passes for 58 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. The 6’1”, 217-pound Taylor was originally drafted in the 6th round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens. He has spent time with the Ravens (2011-2014), Buffalo Bills (2015-2017), Cleveland Browns (2018), Los Angeles Chargers (2019-2020), and Texans (2021). Taylor has played in 92 regular-season games with 58 starts, completing 61.7 percent of his passes for 12,135 yards, 65 touchdowns, and 29 interceptions. He has also rushed the ball 404 times for 2,268 yards (5.6 yards per carry) and 19 touchdowns. Most of his starting experience came during a 3-year stretch with Bills where he started 43 games. Taylor made the Pro Bowl in 2015. He is 28-28-1 in games started. Taylor lacks ideal size and is somewhat injury-prone. He throws a beautiful deep ball and can hurt teams with his feet. However, his lack of consistent accuracy has plagued him at times throughout his career.
S XAVIER McKINNEY (to the Green Bay Packers): In his four seasons with the Giants, Xavier McKinney has had two that stand out and where he played every game, 2021 and 2023. McKinney not only played in every contest in 2023, but he played every single defensive snap (1,128). He finished the season with 116 tackles (second-highest on the team), two tackles for losses, 0.5 sacks, one quarterback hit, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, three interceptions (team high), and 11 pass defenses (tied for team high). McKinney was solid and dependable most of the season, and sometimes spectacular. Probably the biggest knock on him that more plays on the football were expected by someone with his range and cover skills. While flagged three times, none involved coverage penalties. The Giants drafted McKinney in the 2nd round of the 2020 NFL Draft. He missed 10 games in his rookie season with a fractured left foot that required surgery, playing in six contests with four starts. In 2021, McKinney had a breakout season. He played in all 17 games with 16 starts, and finished the season with 88 tackles, 10 pass defenses, and a team-high five interceptions (one of which he returned for a touchdown). McKinney saw nearly half his 2022 season wiped out due to an off-the-field ATV accident during the bye week that caused multiple fractures in his left hand, requiring surgery. McKinney combines decent size (6’0”, 201 pounds) with good speed, quickness, and instincts for the position.
RB SAQUON BARKLEY (to the Philadelphia Eagles): Hampered by instability and poor play at quarterback and the offensive line, as well as another lower body injury, Saquon Barkley did not have the season hoped for in 2023. Barkley suffered a high-ankle sprain in Week 2 and missed the next three games. Playing in a total of 14 contests, he finished the 2023 season with 247 carries for 962 yards (3.9 yards per carry) and six rushing touchdowns. He also caught 41 passes for 280 yards and four receiving touchdowns. The Giants drafted Barkley with the #2 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. In his six seasons with the Giants, he has broken the 1,000-yard rushing mark three times (2018, 2019, and 2022). Barkley has missed games due to injury in four seasons, including a high-ankle sprain in 2019 (three games), a torn ACL and meniscus in 2020 (14 games), another ankle injury in 2021 (four games), and the ankle sprain in 2023 (three games). The ankle injuries suffered in those three seasons also nagged him in other games he did play. Barkley’s best season was clearly his rookie year. He became only the third rookie in NFL history to accrue 2,000 yards from scrimmage, breaking a slew of franchise records. He also was voted to the Pro Bowl and named “Associated Press NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year,” “FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Year,” and “Pro Football Writers of America Offensive Rookie of the Year.” As a rookie, Barkley started all 16 games, rushing 261 times for 1,307 yards (5.0 yards per carry) and 11 touchdowns. He also caught 91 passes for 721 yards and four touchdowns. Barkley led the NFL with seven 40+ yard runs and six 50+ yard runs. Barkley’s second best season was in 2022. He played with a tougher, more physical style and finished the season with a career-high 295 rushing attempts for 1,312 yards (4.4 yards per carry) and 10 touchdowns. He also caught a team-leading 57 passes for 338 yards. That year, Barkley played in every game, except for being a healthy scratch in the regular-season finale. He was voted to his second Pro Bowl. In looking at the big picture, Barkley never regained his rookie form due to the injuries. While he is still capable of the big play as both a runner and receiver, especially if you can get him in space, the head-turning explosiveness is gone. He’s become a tougher back and is still productive when healthy, but he lacks vision and top instincts in following blocks and has been guilty of some late-game mental and physical mistakes the last couple of seasons. He also had a team-high five dropped passes.
2023 New York Giants Free Agent Losses
ILB JAYLON SMITH (to the New Orleans Saints): For the second season in a row, the Giants added Jaylon Smith to the roster during the year. The Giants originally signed Smith to the Practice Squad and then 53-man roster in December 2021. He ended up playing in the last four games of the season with two starts, finishing with 18 tackles, one sack, and one pass defense. The new regime chose not to re-sign him during the offseason, but oddly did so in September. Smith soon entrenched himself as a starter, playing in 13 regular-season games with 11 starts (72 percent of defensive snaps in those games). He finished the season with 87 tackles, three tackles for losses, one sack, two quarterback hits, and one fumble recovery. Smith was originally drafted in the 2nd round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys, who cut him during his fifth season in October 2021. He then spent a month with the Green Bay Packers before they cut him in early November 2021. Smith has played in 87 regular-season games with 69 starts. He made the Pro Bowl in 2019. Smith suffered serious knee injuries in college and his rookie season in the NFL that have impacted his game. Smith is big, fast, and physical. He flashes as a play-maker, but is not consistent enough. Smith lacks ideal lateral agility and the ability to diagnose, which can get him into trouble when defending the run and pass.
TE NICK VANNETT (to the Houston Texans): The Giants signed Nick Vannett to the Practice Squad in November 2022 after he was cut by the New Orleans Saints. He was then signed to the 53-man roster in December 2022. Vannett ended up playing in six regular-season games with three starts for the Giants, catching four passes for 42 yards. The 6’6”, 261-pound Vannett was originally drafted in the 3rd round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. He has spent time with the Seahawks (2016-2019), Pittsburgh Steelers (2019), Denver Broncos (2020), and Saints (2021-2022). Vannett has played in 86 regular-season games with 38 starts, accruing 90 catches for 874 yards and six touchdowns. He is known more for his blocking than pass receiving.
CB FABIAN MOREAU (to the Denver Broncos): The Giants signed Fabian Moreau to the Practice Squad in early September 2022 and signed to the 53-man roster in late September, proving to be an extremely valuable pick-up as he became a reliable, year-long starter at corner. Moreau played in 14 regular-season games with 11 starts, missing one game due to an oblique injury. He was also held out of the regular-season finale as a healthy scratch. He played in 82 percent of defensive snaps in games that he appeared. Moreau was credited with 66 tackles and 10 pass defenses. He was flagged five times (two defensive holding, two pass interference, and one illegal hands). Moreau was originally drafted in the 3rd round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins. He has spent time with Washington (2017-2020), Atlanta Falcons (2021), and Houston Texans (2022). The Texans released him in August. Moreau has played in 90 regular-season games with 45 starts. Moreau has good size for the position and while he lacks ideal athletic cover skills and could be exposed by top wide receivers, he was steady and dependable in coverage. He has 22 pass breakouts in the past two seasons when he started 27 games, but no interceptions.
DL JUSTIN ELLIS (to the Atlanta Falcons): The Giants signed Justin Ellis as an unrestricted free agent from the Baltimore Ravens in March 2022. Ellis played in all 17 regular-season games with four starts, receiving 32 percent of defensive snaps. He finished with 22 tackles, two tackles for losses, and one sack. The 6’2”, 334-pound Ellis was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders. From 2014 to 2018, Ellis played in 66 regular-season games with 42 starts for the Raiders. Oakland put him on season-ending Injured Reserve in August 2019 with a knee injury before waiving him later that year. The Ravens then signed him in November 2019. In Baltimore in 2019-2021, Ellis played in 34 regular-season games with eight starts. Ellis is strictly a run defender. He only has 1.5 sacks and five quarterback hits in his career. However, he did not really stand out in run defense either in 2022.
DL NICK WILLIAMS (to the Los Angeles Chargers): The Giants signed Nick Williams as an unrestricted free agent from the Detroit Lions in late July 2022. Williams was placed on Injured Reserve in early November with a biceps injury. In 2022, he played in eight games with seven starts, accruing 15 tackles, two quarterback hits, and two pass defenses. Williams played 45 percent of defensive snaps in games that he appeared. The 6’4”, 310-pound Williams was originally drafted in the 7th round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He has spent time with the Steelers Steelers (2013-2014), Kansas City Chiefs (2014-2016), Miami Dolphins (2016-2017), Chicago Bears (2018-2019), and Detroit Lions (2020-2021). He has played in 83 regular-season games with 42 starts, being credited with 125 tackles, 14 tackles for losses, 7.5 sacks, 19 quarterback hits, and seven pass defenses. Williams is a better run defender than pass rusher and he does not make many plays behind the line of scrimmage.
WR RICHIE JAMES (to the Kansas City Chiefs): The Giants signed Richie James as an unrestricted free agent from the San Francisco 49ers in March 2022. He became a bigger factor in the passing game than anticipated, replacing the injured Wan’Dale Robinson as the team’s slot receiver. James played in all 17 regular-season games with four starts, finishing with team-leading 57 catches for 569 yards (10 yards per catch) and four touchdowns. He also served as the team’s primary punt returner, averaging 7.2 yards per return, but also fumbling three times. James was originally drafted in the 7th round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the 49ers. In his first three years in San Francisco, James played in 40 regular-season games with 10 starts, catching 38 passes for 689 yards and three touchdowns. James missed all of the 2021 season with a knee injury. James lacks size (5’9”, 185lbs), but he has good quickness and hands. He has eight career fumbles however.
DL HENRY MONDEAUX (to the Jacksonville Jaguars): The Giants signed Mondeaux to the Practice Squad in September 2022 and the 53-man roster in November 2022. He ended up playing in 11 regular-season games with four starts, being credited with 16 tackles. Mondeaux played 33 percent of defensive snaps in games that he appeared. The 6’5”, 280-pound Mondeaux was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the New Orleans Saints after the 2018 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Saints (2018), Kansas City Chiefs (2019), and Pittsburgh Steelers (2019-2022). The Steelers waived him in late August 2022. Mondeaux has played in 37 NFL games with six starts, accruing just 37 tackles and two sacks. He is mainly a run defender who lacks the athletic ability to make flashy plays.
OC JON FELICIANO (to the San Francisco 49ers): The Giants signed Jon Feliciano in March 2022 after he was cut by the Buffalo Bills. The Giants converted him from guard to center, where he started 15 regular- and two post-season games, missing one game due to a neck injury and the other a healthy scratch in the regular-season finale. Feliciano had an up-and-down year. His veteran presence and knowledge of Brian Daboll’s offense helped the offensive team. While he brought a toughness, feistiness, and grittiness to the line, his athletic limitations proved to be an issue against better opponents. Feliciano was also flagged six times (four holding, one ineligible downfield, and one taunting penalty). The 6’4”, 325-pound Feliciano was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders. He signed as a free agent with the Bills in March 2019. Feliciano has now played in 97 regular-season games with 54 starts. He is a versatile player who can play both guard positions and center.
S JULIAN LOVE (to the Seattle Seahawks): Love has gotten better every year since he was draft by the Giants in the 4th round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Due to Xavier McKinney missing much of the 2022 season, Love was forced to play in a variety of roles and performed well. A healthy scratch in the regular-season finale, Love started 16 regular-season games and finished the year with a team-high 124 tackles, six tackles for losses, one sack, five pass defenses, two interceptions, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. He played in 95 percent of defensive snaps and was flagged once for unnecessary roughness. A collegiate corner, the Giants moved him to safety as a rookie, though he has played some corner and slot corner at the pro level. Love has played in 64 regular-season games with 32 starts. Lacking ideal size, speed, and quickness, Love’s instincts, intelligence, and versatility have become very important to the team. He has developed into a reliable, consistent player and team leader.
OG/OC NICK GATES (to the Washington Commanders): Nick Gates made a stunning comeback in 2022 from a very serious injury he suffered in 2021. Despite missing all of the spring and summer, plus much of the first half of the season, on the PUP List, Gates returned to the active roster in late October 2022. Incredibly, he ended up playing in 10 regular-season with eight starts, mostly at left guard. He also started both playoff games. Gates was flagged with five penalties (two holding, one false start, one tripping, and one ineligible downfield). The Giants signed Gates as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2018 NFL Draft. He missed all of his rookie season with a foot injury. In 2019, Gates was active for all 16 games with three starts (two starts at right tackle and one start at right guard). The Giants moved Gates to center in 2020, when he started all 16 games and played well at his new position. In Week 2 of the 2021 season, Gates suffered a career-threatening fracture to his lower left leg. The severity of the injury required seven surgeries. Gates is a versatile player, able to play tackle, guard, and center. He has good size and brings toughness and attitude to the offensive line. While Gates lacks ideal power and athleticism, he is a feisty, blue-collar lineman who plays to the whistle.
