For better or worse, the 5-2-1 New York Giants might look a little different when they face the Washington Commanders in Week 10. The NFC East Thursday Night Football showdown comes just a couple of days after the NFL's trade deadline.
Signs continue pointing to the Giants, bringing in reinforcements ahead of the Nov. 10 cutoff. They've been actively exploring the market to try to bolster their push for divisional supremacy and a home playoff game. Multiple new faces could enter the mix soon, and if so, the club will have to make room on the roster.
Which players may have made their final appearance for Big Blue in the team's monumental road win over the Philadelphia Eagles? Or at least, who should be on the way out if/when the front office makes its move(s)?
4 Giants who should get pushed off the roster if New York makes trade deadline upgrades
WR Charlie Jones
New York officially added Jones from the practice squad to the 53-man lineup on Sept. 29. His promotion notably coincided with the signing of fellow wide receiver/return man Braxton Berrios. The latter's season-ending foot injury in the first contest following their call-up validated the decision to keep the former around — or so we thought.
Jones has almost exclusively fielded punts and kickoffs for the G-Men. The problem is that the 28-year-old has struggled to hold onto the ball, losing a fumble on special teams in two of the last three matches. Fortunately, his muff in Philadelphia didn't prove costly, but the one in the loss to the New Orleans Saints did.
While Jones has given the Giants some much-needed juice in football's third phase, he's not contributing enough elsewhere to overcome turnovers. That rings especially true if his critical mistakes are becoming a recurring habit.
S Tyler Nubin
Over the past two outings, Nubin has logged one defensive snap. Granted, he was dealing with a neck issue ahead of New York's impressive defeat of the Houston Texans. However, the 2024 second-round pick wasn't on the injury report for the victory against the Eagles.
Veteran safety Ar'Darius Washington, one of several ex-Baltimore Ravens who joined head coach John Harbaugh in East Rutherford, drew a second consecutive start in Nubin's place. Meanwhile, Jason Pinnock has been the preferred rotational option. It's fair to wonder if the writing is already (and has been) on the wall.
If Nubin, 25, won't be part of Harbaugh's secondary plans moving forward, now is the time to move on. His age, draft pedigree/upside and the fact that he's under contract through 2027 give the Giants a chance to recoup some value.
CB Paulson Adebo
Adebo went from 0 to 100 real quick, only in the wrong order. He went from a literal every-down cornerback role in Houston to seeing zero (0) reps on defense in Philly. Talk about a tale of two stories.
As suspected, Greg Newsome II's recent payday put Adebo in the crosshairs. New York quietly has a crowded CB room, including Deonte Banks, second-round rookie Colton Hood and slot man Dru Phillips. Someone has to be the odd man out, and Harbaugh and defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson have apparently decided who that will be.
TE Theo Johnson
For a group that deploys multiple tight ends as frequently as the Giants, you'd expect Johnson to have more opportunities. That's hardly been the case, though, as Isaiah Likely dominates pass-catching duties and dirty-work guys like Chris Manhertz and Thomas Fidone II handle protection assignments. Not to mention, fullback Patrick Ricard, aka "Pancake Pat," is an honorary member of the position room.
Johnson flashed as a receiver in his first two campaigns with the Giants. He has the size (6-foot-6, 264 pounds) and elite athletic profile to be a legitimate weapon. Relegated to blocking with Likely in the picture and giving way to Manhertz and Fidone, the Penn State product is being treated as expendable.
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