The New York Giants just drafted 10 players and signed 15 players that went undrafted, but they may not be done signing players for the upcoming season.
“Roster building is a 12-month season,’ Giants general manager Dave Gettleman said after the draft. “It’s 365 and it’s 24/7. At the end of the day, we feel good about where we’re at, but we’ll continue to try to improve it.”
They really don’t have much room to make more moves. In fact, they don’t have any. They entered the draft with 69 players, selected 10 and just signed 15, putting them four over the league roster limit of 90 (pending rookie deals). They should be announcing the cutting of four players in the coming days.
Still, all of this activity will not deter Gettleman and his new head coach, Joe Judge from adding a player here or there where they see fit.
On Monday, Gettleman slapped a “May 5” tender on unrestricted free agent linebacker Markus Golden. Golden was not re-signed by the Giants — or any other team for that matter — so the Giants placed a tender on him that will revert his rights back to the Giants should he not be signed by another NFL team by July 22.
Zack Rosenblatt of NJ.com listed three current affordable free agents the Giants could have interest in going forward: Seattle center Justin Britt, Dallas wide receiver/kick returner Tavon Austin and Indianapolis edge rusher Jabaal Sheard.
Britt was released by the Seahawks after failing his physical, so don’t get too excited. He is still rehabbing from a torn ACL that ended his season after eight games. But to that point, Britt had started all but two games for Seattle after being selected 64th overall out of Missouri in 2014. He can play all three positions on the offensive line.
Giant fans know Austin well as a Cowboy, which means he well known by the Giants’ new offensive coordinator, former Dallas head coach Jason Garrett. Austin can compete for a role on both special teams and in the Giants’ thin wide receiver group.
Sheard, 30, has played in 134 games since Cleveland made him the 37th overall selection in the 2011 NFL Draft out of Pitt. His career journey has taken him to New England and Indianapolis but he is a steady veteran who can add some depth to the defensive line if needed.
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