NFL trade rumors: 5 players unlikely to return to the New York Giants for the 2021-22 season
It's a high-pressure year for the New York Giants, and the message to Dave Gettleman is clear: playoffs or unemployment. The fact that Gettleman wasn't fired after the 2020 season was a surprise, but there's no longer any excuse for him if the Giants don't make the playoffs this year.
The team invested heavily in free agency to give Daniel Jones potent weapons to work some magic and the Giants now need to turn their attention towards the salary cap. Some well-known players could be on their way out in the next few weeks.
Five New York Giants players likely on their way out
#1 - Nate Solder, OT
Nate Solder is one of the Giants' biggest recent mistakes, signing in 2018 to become the NFL's highest-paid offensive lineman. Since signing on the dotted line, Solder's performance has fallen way short of expectations and his opt-out because of the pandemic in 2020 has hindered the Giants from shipping out his contract.
Solder will not be cut. There's a $13.5 million dead cap on the remaining two years on his contract and the Giants can't take such a big loss. But Andrew Thomas and Matt Peart are two options able to protect the ends of the offensive line, which means Solder is a trade candidate right now.
#2 - Kelvin Benjamin, WR/TE
Nobody knows what Kelvin Benjamin is right now. He worked as a tight end during minicamp, but the Giants have him listed as a wide receiver. Whatever his official designation, it doesn't look like he'll be on the team for long.
Not even his proximity to Dave Gettleman, who drafted him for the Carolina Panthers, can help Benjamin revive his NFL career. He'll be one of the cuts for the Giants to close the 53-man roster.
#3 - John Ross, WR
John Ross caught the eye even before he was picked in the draft by breaking the record for the fastest 40-yard dash in combine history. Since then, his career has taken a nosedive: Ross was almost always injured during his Cincinnati Bengals days and has failed to live up to the expectations of being a top-10 pick.
With more established names at the top of the rotation, his spot is up for grabs along with Dante Pettis, who has also failed to make a name for himself.
The difference between the two is that while Pettis isn't as fast as Ross, he's had less trouble staying healthy in his career and can play on special teams. Ross probably won't survive the cuts.
#4 - Sam Beal, CB
Since we're talking about players who can't stay healthy, Sam Beal is another name whose job is in jeopardy. Picked in the supplemental draft in 2018, Beal didn't play as a rookie due to injuries or in 2020 because he opted out.
In the only year he played in the NFL, 2019, he also went through the injury reserve for a hamstring injury. Most likely, the Giants will admit they made a mistake and let him go, especially after he ran into some legal issues last month.
#5 - Clayton Thorson, QB
Thorson, a former Northwestern star, failed to make his NFL career take off. After stints with the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys, he found some stability on the Giants' practice squad in 2020.
With Daniel Jones and Mike Glennon securing their places on the team, Thorson will likely not survive the cuts to the 53-man roster. He could, however, find a spot on the practice squad.