Tommy Cutlets has not been cut. Not yet, anyway.
Giants third-string quarterback Tommy DeVito was on the 54-man Giants roster that took Tuesday’s practice field a couple of hours before the NFL’s cutdown deadline to 53.
Head coach Brian Daboll couched that the Giants’ roster was “fluid,” with GM Joe Schoen expected to be active on the waiver wire and possibly in free agency, too.
But DeVito was not made available to the media on Tuesday despite being requested. And Daboll had little to share in his pre-practice press conference.
Schoen is scheduled for a press conference early Wednesday evening that should provide clarity. Schoen and Daboll have only kept two QBs on the active roster in each of their first two Giants seasons.
DeVito would have to be waived to be placed on the practice squad. He was asked last week if he were as worried this year as he was last season as a rookie.
“I don’t know if the word is ‘worried,’” DeVito said. “I think I’ve always carried confidence about myself. Last year was last year. It’s in the past. We’re moving on to what is here now. I’ve just got to go out every single day and continue to try to improve.”
Schoen did release some notable veteran players as the Giants pared down to 53, including veteran receivers Allen Robinson II, Isaiah Hodgins and Miles Boykin. Receiver and returner Isaiah McKenzie wasn’t on the practice field, either.
Schoen also cut his 2022 sixth-round linebacker Darrian Beavers, one day after waiving his 2022 fifth-round guard Marcus McKethan. He released 2020 third-round corner Darnay Holmes, a draft choice of the previous regime.
And the Giants cut undrafted rookie running back Dante “Turbo” Miller, who had a strong camp, with an eye on bringing him back to the practice squad.
Players who were wild surprises to crack the initial 53-man roster — at least for Tuesday’s early afternoon practice — were backup wide receiver Bryce Ford-Wheaton, backup center Austin Schlottmann and backup edge Benton Whitley.
So much about the team was unsettled during Tuesday’s open media periods, though. Safety Gervarrius Owens, for example, started practice on the field with the team as a 54th player but then was walked inside to leave the Giants with 53.
It wasn’t clear at that moment whether Owens was being cut or going inside to work with the trainers. Still, it was a good example of just how many unanswered questions were swirling.
One truth was certain: The Giants team on the field for Wednesday’s practice promised to be much different than the group that took the field Tuesday.
The Giants have needs at corner, defensive tackle, offensive line and punt returner, just to name a few. They have been making calls specifically on punt returners, due to Gunner Olszewski’s ankle injury, and have been poking around on outside linebackers, as well.
Texans corner Desmond King, Packers receiver Samori Toure, Lions receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones and Seahawks wideout Easop Winston Jr. are some of the released players who would help at punt returner.
Jets corner Brandon Codrington might have been an option, too, but the Buffalo Bills acquired him for a late-round pick swap in 2026 before he was released.
As for DeVito, it remained unclear if the Giants intended to upgrade their quarterback room through a waiver claim or free agent signing. Drew Lock (hip/oblique) did individual drills before the brief practice, but his health and availability is a factor.
Assistant GM Brandon Brown said on Aug. 20 that the Giants are not in the quarterback market
“When you look at that, I would say no,” Brown said. “Why would we be in the quarterback market right now? With D.J. [nine] months off his ACL injury and having his feet wet for the first time against Houston, it’s all a part of the progression process. And it’s him getting used to his weapons and us being able to protect him.”
The NFL’s official transaction wire still hadn’t landed as of 6 p.m. ET Tuesday, and the Giants hadn’t made any announcements, either. But here is what their roster seemingly looked like based on sourcing and practice observations:
GIANTS’ APPARENT INITIAL 53-MAN ROSTER
Quarterback (3): Daniel Jones, Drew Lock, Tommy DeVito
Running back (3): Devin Singletary, Tyrone Tracy Jr., Eric Gray
Wide receiver (6): Malik Nabers, Darius Slayton, Wan’Dale Robinson, Jalin Hyatt, Bryce Ford-Wheaton, Gunner Olszewski
Tight end (3): Chris Manhertz, Daniel Bellinger, Theo Johnson
Offensive tackle (4): Andrew Thomas, Evan Neal, Jermaine Eluemunor, Josh Ezeudu
Offensive guard (4): Jon Runyan Jr., Greg Van Roten, Aaron Stinnie, Jake Kubas
Center (2): John Michael Schmitz, Austin Schlottmann
Edge rusher (5): Brian Burns, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Azeez Ojulari, Boogie Basham, Benton Whitley
Defensive tackle (5): Dexter Lawrence, Rakeem Nunez-Roches, Elijah Chatman, D.J. Davidson, Jordon Riley
Linebacker (7): Bobby Okereke, Micah McFadden, Dyontae Johnson, Isaiah Simmons, Matthew Adams, Darius Muasau, Carter Coughlin
Corner (5): Deonte Banks, Nick McCloud, Cor’Dale Flott, Dru Phillips, Tre Hawkins
Safety (3): Jason Pinnock, Tyler Nubin, Dane Belton
Special teams (3): K Graham Gano, P Jamie Gillan, LS Casey Kreiter
OH CAPTAINS, MY CAPTAINS
This Giants regime awkwardly chooses to announce its captains on cutdown day. Daboll wouldn’t speak on any “specifics or individual players” who were released, but he was more than willing to volunteer a separate headline about the team’s five captains for 2024: Jones, Thomas, Lawrence, Okereke and Kreiter. That news easily could wait a couple days.
