With the New York Giants entering Week 8 with a 2-5 record and shorthanded without star wide receiver Malik Nabers, the team has been linked to several veteran wideouts over the last couple of weeks.
With the trade deadline about two weeks away, many fans expected Big Blue to be in the market for a player who could fill the void left by Nabers, giving rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart some much-needed help in the passing game. The G-Men are rumored to be interested in names from Jaylen Waddle to Jakobi Meyers, to Jauan Jennings, even to Chris Olave.
The G-Men haven't acquired a player of that caliber just yet, but they did recently sign a recently released veteran to their practice squad. Unfortunately, it was the wrong recently released vet.
Giants should've pursued Tyler Lockett instead of Ray-Ray McCloud
On Wednesday, Giants insider Art Stapleton announced Big Blue signed 29-year-old wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III. The move comes just a day after the Atlanta Falcons released him.
The Giants are signing WR Ray-Ray McCloud to the practice squad, physical pending, sources say.
— Art Stapleton (@art_stapleton) October 22, 2025
McCloud was released by the Falcons yesterday.
In four games this season, he has six receptions for 64 yards with zero touchdowns. The 29-year-old was a healthy scratch by the Falcons for the last two weeks and was even sent home for an "excused absence" before their Week 7 matchup with the San Francisco 49ers. He didn't end up traveling with the team.
The signing came at an interesting time, as another option with ties to Russell Wilson was released and may have been a better fit.
The Tennessee Titans cut veteran wide receiver Tyler Lockett on Monday after the 33-year-old requested to be released. With Tennessee starting the season 1-6 and firing head coach Brian Callahan, at this stage of his career, he could be looking to join a contender after spending the last 10 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks.
Lockett is expected to sign with another team, and he could slide in as a team's WR3 and immediately put up numbers. He totaled an unimpressive 10 receptions for 70 yards in seven games with the Titans.
Russ' former teammate signed a one-year deal with Tennessee worth up to $6 million in April, so he shouldn't be too expensive to whichever team chooses to pay him next. With Big Blue signing McCloud, it doesn't appear they will be pursuing him, but it will be interesting to see where the former All-Pro lands and what moves the Giants will make at the deadline.