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For the second time this season, the New York Giants have released cornerback Sam Beal.
Beal, who had been re-signed to the practice squad as the result of the team’s COVID-19 issues, was released on Tuesday alongside fellow defensive back Darqueze Dennard.
Like Beal, Dennard was signed to help bolster the team’s depth amid a COVID-19 outbreak. He was elevated for a Week 16 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles and drew the brief ire of his teammates for failing to down a punt at the goal line.
Darqueze Dennard #35 makes no effort to down the punt pic.twitter.com/NdswiVKKIs
— Bobby Skinner (@BobbySkinner_) December 26, 2021
Head coach Joe Judge later appeared to absolve Dennard of fault, saying he went out of bounds and therefor couldn’t be the first to touch the ball.
“In Darqueze’s defense a little bit, it’s been a handful of years since he’s played gunner. He’s done a good job. Did a good job for us (Sunday),” Judge told reporters. “He got a little fogged up on the rules — you cannot be the first toucher if you go out of bounds. The second he ran out of bounds in that situation, I was actually walking down the sideline yelling in his ear ‘Don’t touch it, don’t touch it, don’t touch it,’ because that’s an illegal touch penalty and inside the five it becomes a touchback anyway right there.”
With some available space on the practice squad, the Giants re-signed tight end Jake Hausmann.
Finally, the team also announced their practice squad protections for Week 17. They include wide receiver/return man Pharoh Cooper, defensive back Natrell Jamerson, defensive tackle David Moa and tight end Deon Yelder.
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