When you know, you know.
Take the New York Giants, for example. As soon as the 2026 Draft concluded, they knew they needed to make a roster move to free up an opportunity for someone else, and rather than wait all summer long to inevitably make the same decision they would have made months prior -- and spend time and resources that could have been utilized elsewhere -- they acted swiftly.
Earlier in the offseason, the Giants signed veteran free-agent defensive end DeMarvin Leal to a futures contract, marking John Harbaugh’s first official signing as the head coach of the G-Men. The move was confusing at the time, and even more so now that he’s already gone after spending a modest two months with the team.
ESPN’s Jordan Raanan reported on Saturday that, in the immediate post-draft undrafted free agent signing aftermath, New York had released the 25-year-old to clear room on the roster for its newest members.
Giants already feeling the impact of their 2026 Draft class
Leal’s spot on the roster was in jeopardy long before Big Blue added 15 more players over draft weekend (seven rookies and eight -- and counting -- UDFAs). As is the life of a player without a position or a specialized skill.
The former Texas A&M standout is too big to play on the edge, and he’s too small on the defensive line. Because of his tweener size (6-foot-4, 280 pounds), it’s hard to see a clear, natural fit for the fifth-year defender on this defense.
In four seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Leal has accrued a whopping three tackles for loss, three quarterback hits, and one sack. That’s a far cry from his stellar 2021 season with the Aggies, when he had 8.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss.
Since New York signed him in January, they’ve made a lot of moves to suggest he was always expendable. They re-signed outside linebacker Caleb Murphy and added defensive lineman Sam Roberts during free agency. Edge rusher Arvell Reese and defensive tackle Bobby Jamison-Travis are heading to North Jersey via the draft. DLs Anquin Barnes and Ben Barten were also signed as undrafted free agents. Those additions come on top of an already crowded pass-rushing group and a sneaky-deep DL room.
There was just no space for Leal on the roster, and instead of stringing him along over the next couple of months, the Giants saved time and energy while giving the 25-year-old a chance to catch on somewhere else ahead of camp.
Add us as a preferred source on Google