The NY Giants set their initial 53-man roster during a wave of cuts on Tuesday, including releasing a receiver they may wind up regretting
Cut day in the NFL is always tough for young players and savvy veterans, that’s no different for the NY Giants.
The New York Giants had to make some tough choices and get their roster from 80 to 53. One of the most surprising cuts was wide receiver David Sills.
Imagine 12 years ago then USC coach Lane Kiffin, walked onto a football field in Delaware and offered a 13-year-old quarterback a scholarship to play at USC. A seventh grader, my how the world of sports had changed.
Sills was that 13 year old and he accepted, probably not even knowing what he had just done. Now, he never ended up at USC as Kiffin was fired and new coach Steve Sarkisian revoked the scholarship. Sills ended up at West Virginia as a quarterback until he was asked to change positions.
Sills played eight games his freshman year for the Mountaineers and had 7 catches for 131 yards, including a game-winner in the Cactus Bowl. The urge to play quarterback never left him and he transferred to El Camino where he was hoping his 1,636 yards and 15 touchdowns would impress a big D1 school. It did not and he went back to West Virginia, as a receiver.
Quarterback Will Grier found Sills for 60 receptions and 980 yards. He tied for the national lead in touchdowns with 18. He wasn’t drafted and ended up signing with the Buffalo Bills as undrafted free agent, not making the 53 man roster he was cut. The uphill battle continued for the once 13 year old phenom.
Coincidentally, both Sills and Grier were released by their teams Tuesday.
The NY Giants saw a 6-foot-3 and 210 pound receiver who can make that 50-50 ball catch in traffic and could not resist. They signed him and he showed great promise until a broken foot ended any chance of him making the roster.
New York stuck with him and he another chance this year to really impress. He led the team in receiving this pre-season with seven catches for 94 yards. Not blessed with breakaway speed, Sills still found himself separating from receivers all pre-season.
Football is a numbers game and it is a business.
The NY Giants receiver room is crowded.
First round pick Kadarious Toney was not going anywhere, even though he has not played a down. CJ Board and Dante Pettis offer more than Sills on special teams. John Ross was a gamble Gettleman made for someone who has a unique skill set and blazing speed, but he has been hurt all pre-season. Sills became the odd man out because Gettleman needed to save face on the Ross move, Coach Joe Judge is an old school special teams guy, and Sills does not possess that skill.
I honestly thought the Giants would carry seven receivers, and not carry an extra fullback, but not to be, nor my decision.
My hope is Sills is not claimed by another team and finds his way to the Giants practice squad. Maybe the stars will align and Sills will get yet another opportunity to prove that 12 years ago Lane Kiffin was right and Sills can still be something special.