3 cut candidates on Giants roster ahead of NFL training camp
The Giants are entering the 2024 NFL training camp with a lot of pressure. They failed to make the playoffs in 2023 after doing so in 2022, and it was a regression that New York fans will hope is not to the mean. But if they are to kick off in the upcoming season, new heroes will have to step up.
Saquon Barkley, arguably their only Pro Bowl-caliber player for the past few seasons, has left and joined divisional rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles. Their offensive line was a mess last season and couldn't protect their quarterback as Daniel Jones missed the latter part of 2024 after a season-ending injury. Jones himself didn't acquit himself so well when he was available either.
That means there's a renewed focus on the Giants getting their 2024 NFL roster right. Before the NFL training camp's completion, these are the players most at risk of being cut.
Three cut candidates on Giants roster ahead of NFL training camp
Candidate 1 - Tommy DeVito: QB
Coach Brian Daboll has kept two quarterbacks on his 53-man roster going into his past two seasons. Daniel Jones is a lock and, well, so is Drew Lock. The former Seahawks quarterback might even be the one to start the 2024 season if the presumptive starter is not quite fit to go yet.
That leaves Tommy DeVito on the outside looking in. He's an extremely popular player and his off-field story of a local kid making good was inspiring. He did well last season when Daniel Jones went off injured initially but then faded towards the end of 2024.
With Drew Lock being brought in to rectify that situation, DeVito could be on his way out when the Giants' training camp concludes.
Candidate 2 - Allen Robinson: WR
The New York Giants are really trying everything at the wide receiver position. They drafted Malik Nabers in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. They have retained players like Isaiah Hodgson and Jalin Hyatt. And they signed Allen Robinson, the veteran wideout, to a one-year deal.
While the former Jaguars Pro Bowler believes he can still contribute, his contract worth $1.4 million is extremely team-friendly. If he's cut at the end of the training camp, he will save the Giants $1.1. million. With so many other options available, there's no guarantee that he will not be cast aside.
Candidate 3 - Marcus McKethan: G
The offensive line has been a perennial issue for the Giants, and they are still trying to figure it out.
One of the reasons they have struggled is because their draft picks have not worked out. That's why they have had to resort to workaround patches by bringing in veterans. The latest is Greg Van Roten, the Long Island boy coming back to New York.
As a guard, that's likely to push one of those aforementioned draft picks who have struggled out of the squad. Marcus McKethan is most likely to be that person. He was picked in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft and missed his first season with a torn ACL. Since returning, he has failed to make any meaningful impact, which is saying something given how weak the Giants' offensive line was in 2023.
Unless he does something spectacular during the 2024 training camp, he could be looking for a very challenging pathway to the 53-man roster. Practice squad might be his most likely destination, whether it's in New York or elsewhere.