After just two days on waivers after Jacksonville let him go on Monday, Ryquell Armstead has found a new home. The New York Giants claimed the third-year running back off waivers on Wednesday, waiving quarterback Joe Webb to make room for him.
Armstead was originally a fifth-round pick for the Jaguars out of Temple in 2019, and though his production on the ground was limited to just 108 yards on 35 carries, he made a much bigger impact in the passing game. Though he only had 14 catches that season, he had 144 yards and two touchdowns through the air.
Unfortunately, those positive strides were put on pause in 2020. Armstead was placed on the COVID-19/reserve list on Aug. 2 and returned to it on Sep. 4. After not appearing in any games, it was announced on Oct. 25 that Armstead would miss the remainder of the season. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, he had dealt with serious respiratory issues as a result of the virus and had to be hospitalized twice.
This offseason, Jacksonville largely carried out its plans at running back without considering Armstead’s place. It added Carlos Hyde in free agency and Travis Etienne in the draft, so the decision to waive him was far from a surprise.
Armstead may have an uphill battle to make the Giants’ roster considering it already has starter Saquon Barkley and backups Devonta Booker and Corey Clement, but Armstead will hope his unique skill set is enough to set himself apart and claim a spot on the depth chart.