In theory, it’s never a good sign when a team cuts a draft pick after just one season. But if you get at least one year out of a seventh-round pick, that can be a victory in itself.
The New York Giants took Nebraska tight end Thomas Fidone II with the No. 219 pick last year, and he found his way onto the field for seven games.
Fidone stuck around for the entire season and played almost exclusively on special teams. At no point did the Giants cut him and try to stash him on the practice squad.
The Athletic’s Dan Duggan believes that will instead be the case last year, as he predicted that Fidone won’t crack the Week 1 roster.
What to know about Giants tight end Thomas Fidone II
Don’t let a player being selected in the seventh round fool you. A significant number of those players don’t even make it to a second September with that team.
NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein had high hopes for Fidone, at least relative to where he was drafted. Zierlein viewed the 6-foot-6, 255-pound Fidone as a fifth-round prospect with the potential to eventually become a starter.
“He has the ability to uncover and stress the defense beyond the first level.” Zierlein wrote in a pre-draft scouting report. “Fidone’s effort, athleticism and ability to improve a passing game give him a chance to become a TE2 in the NFL.”
A history of knee injuries likely contributed to Fidone’s drop, and a foot injury ended his rookie season prematurely. Barring an injury to a teammate, Fidone doesn’t have a clear path to playing time. He missed out on valuable spring reps while recovering from that foot injury.
If other teams share Zierlein’s optimism, then Fidone might not need to worry about being on someone’s active roster this fall.
At 24 years old, Fidone previously would have been considered older for a second-year player. However, the transfer portal and NIL have led to more prospects staying in college as long as they can.
As a seventh-round pick, Fidone is playing on a standard four-year rookie deal. Trading or cutting Fidone would not have a meaningful impact on the Giants’ salary cap. In fact, the total dead cap hit incurred by cutting the tight end would come in around $100,000.
Unfortunately, Fidone's time with the Giants might already be over after one season.
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