NY Giants practice squad tracker: LIVE Updates

Follow here for all news on the NY Giants’ practice squad.

The NFL preseason is over and the NY Giants are working hard at finding new players while retaining their own.

This week, over 300 NFL players have been cut. The Giants have already claimed three new players to their team so three guys who made the 53-man roster yesterday will have to be released as a corresponding move.

Dave Gettleman, Joe Judge, and Kevin Abrams are working hard with their pro and college scouts and talent evaluators to identify worthy new players to add. They also must look at the film and body of work of players inside the Giants’ building all offseason to see who’s worth keeping for 2021 and beyond.

This will be a busy day of more transactions throughout the league as teams tinker with and change the bottom of their roster. Teams still find plenty of good players this close to the season, the Giants signed Logan Ryan just a year ago this week, and look at the instant impact he made on this team.

The NFL has again extended its practice squad limits for each team to 16 players this year due to the everlasting impact of COVID-19. Teams will still deal with positive cases so they need to ensure maximum roster flexibility.

Stay here for LIVE updates on all reports of the NY Giants signing players to their practice squad.

Niko Lalos, EDGE

As expected, the NY Giants have kept Niko Lalos. Lalos was a fan favorite last year as he came up with two turnovers in his first two NFL games.

A 2020 UDFA from Dartmouth, Lalos had a good training camp and showed enough to stick around. He could be a top candidate to be elevated to the active gameday roster which will help the Giants’ special teams and defense along with Lalos’ bank account.

Brett Heggie, Center

Brett Heggie did not get many opportunities this offseason, but he will stay with the NY Giants.

Dan Duggan of The Athletic reported that Heggie will sign with the Giants’ practice squad.

Heggie is an intriguing center prospect from Florida. He is a rookie from the SEC who was a part of a successful team and a good run game for the Gators. Nick Gate seems entrenched as the starting center but Heggie could keep developing and work his way into the backup center spot. For now, it appears that newly-traded Billy Price will be the backup center and go-to choice off the bench on the interior at guard as well.

Damion Willis, Wide Receiver

Damion Willis was always looking up the mountain to make the Giants’ roster. They have signed so many receivers, sunk so many resources into the position, and added numerous unproven players to compete against each other.

Willis saved his best play for last in the Giants’ Week 3 preseason game. He caught a potential game-tying touchdown on a hail mary on the last play of the game. The Giants came up short on the 2-point conversion but he still caught the team’s eyes. It will be good for Damion Willis to stick around and improve on the scout team as he gets further acclimated to New York.

Matt Cole, Wide Receiver

Matt Cole is another wide receiver who got stuck in a numbers game. Cole was a coach’s player who did everything asked of him. He came in during camp, had little time to learn the playbook, and the coaches’ challenged him in the Week 2 preseason game and he responded well.

Cole was told on short notice he’d be a three-way player on offense, special teams, and defense. He did his best on all three sides of the ball and stood out amongst his peers. His willing attitude and versatility earned him attention and got him a practice squad spot, He can’t ask for much more as he stuck around in the best position possible to get better down the line.

Jake Hausmann, Tight End

Jake Hausmann is a Giants’ target at tight end on the newly-formed practice squad. Hausmann could be a name to watch as the Giants deal with injuries all over the tight end unit.

Kyle Rudolph is just working his way back from offseason surgery, Levine Toilolo already tore his Achilles early in camp, and now Evan Engram is hurt as well. Engram may not be ready for Week 1, it’s a key storyline worth following.

Add in Nakia Griffin-Stewart’s injury woes and Hausmann could be an unlikely candidate to play a game this season.

David Sills, Wide Receiver

David Sills is one of the top players on the NY Giants’ 16-man squad.

Sills was one of the last names off the roster. He had a dominant training camp along with strong preseason performances including two touchdowns. Sills has a history of chemistry with Daniel Jones after two straight years of working together in the offseason and being a top target in the offense during camp.

Many expected Sills to make the final roster. For now, he will wait for his turn on the practice squad. He could be called up any game and with all the pending injuries at wide receiver, Sills may come off the practice squad sooner than later.

Ryan Izzo, Tight End

Ryan Izzo is another intriguing offensive player on the practice squad. Izzo is the first reported member of the practice squad to not be a past or current NY Giants player.

Izzo hails from New England where he started 12 games last season. Izzo lapped over with Joe Judge for one year in 2019 in Tom Brady’s last season in New England.

Izzo wasn’t extremely productive as a starter. He hauled in 13 catches for 199 yards in 12 games in 2020. In his rookie year in 2019, Izzo caught 6 catches for 114 yards and a touchdown.

Izzo is entering his 3rd NFL season. He has more NFL game experience than the players listed so far, he could be an early-season call-up to the roster.

Nakia Griffin Stewart, Tight End

Nakia Griffin-Stewart is the last of three tight ends on the practice squad. They have symmetry with the active roster with three currently on the 53-man roster. With six total tight end options to choose from, the NY Giants will have to figure out which ones to use and play on gamedays.

Griffin-Stewart is rawer than the rest of this group but he won’t fall behind. Latching onto the practice squad is the best for his career right now.

UPDATE —

Several NY Giants players who were released Tuesday are at practice, according to multiple reports, a clear indication that they have re-signed with the practice squad; defensive lineman David Moa, and offensive linemen Kenny Wiggins and Jackson Barton.