5 biggest surprises from the NY Giants 53-man roster reveal

Cut down day is never an easy one in the NFL. On Tuesday, it was no exception for the NY Giants and especially for head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen, as they were given the task of getting the roster down to 53 players before the league’s mandated 4 p.m. ET deadline.

Coaches develop relationships and bonds with the players, which is why Daboll said making cuts was something he didn’t look forward to. Yet, it’s part of the job as an NFL head coach, and the same goes with Schoen as an NFL general manager.

It’s also tough for a fan base. On Tuesday, Big Blue supporters were on the edge of their seat with every single roster cut, with some decisions definitely being tough to swallow. When the smoke and dust was cleared on Tuesday night, the Giants had a 53-man roster announced. So, what were the biggest surprises from all of the moves made?

5. OT Tyre Phillips

When the Giants were making the cuts needed on Tuesday, most of them weren’t real shockers. Most made sense. Then came the Tyre Phillips news. That was the first surprise.

Why? Because everyone who saw the Giants play in the preseason knew the lack of depth at the tackle position behind Andrew Thomas and Evan Neal. Korey Cunningham was bad enough to where he got waived. Matt Peart survived the roster purge, but he had his struggles.

The struggles of Peart, plus Cunningham, was why it was a bit of a shock to see Phillips, with three years of pro experience and had started a few games in his career, be given the boot like he did. Several experts had Phillips being predicted to make the final roster to start the season.

The only explanation for it is if the Giants look on the waiver wire for other swing tackles and add depth from the other 31 team’s roster cuts as well. Phillips is back with the G-Men on the practice squad, but a lot of thought he'd be on the initial 53.

4. WR Cole Beasley

Cole Beasley is an interesting case. He's back on the practice squad and there's a real chance he makes his way onto the 53-man roster at some point this season. Still, he didn't do enough to be out there with the rest of the guys from the start?

Beasley has a ton of experience and was brought in to give the wide receiver room a boost. With Wan’Dale Robinson being activated off the Physically Unable to Perform list and with Sterling Shepard healthy and participating, it could have been a factor in Beasley being cut.

But neither of their healths are guaranteed, especially with Shepard unfortunately, especially since he’s played in a total of 10 games in the last two seasons and missed 14 games in 2022 after a Week 3 injury ended his comeback campaign.

Because of Beasley’s abilities to still produce, it was why several people had Beasley making the final 53-man roster, but given Beasley’s circumstances, he may not be gone for long and back on the Giants at some point.

3. QB Tommy DeVito

If anyone made a strong case to make the roster, even as a backup or third-string quarterback, it was Tommy DeVito for the Giants. DeVito played in every single preseason game for the Giants, and here’s how he did:

Against the Detroit Lions: 15-for-24, 155 yards, one touchdown, one interception. Sacked five times. Against the Carolina Panthers: 9-for-11, 88 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions. Never sacked. Against the New York Jets: 19-for-29, 210 yards, one touchdown, one interception. Sacked four times.

For someone like DeVito, an undrafted free agent quarterback, he surely had decent enough preseason numbers to where he could have not only gained a roster spot, but some on social media were making the case for DeVito to surpass Tyrod Taylor as the No. 2 quarterback and backup behind Daniel Jones. But because of Taylor’s previous experience as a former NFL starter, it was Taylor who remained on the roster with DeVito getting waived.

But for DeVito’s sake, since he wasn’t claimed off waivers, he’s headed to the practice squad and he will now get more work in and improve off this summer he had.

2. LB Darrian Beavers

Darrian Beavers tenure with the Giants has been a very strange one. Beavers was a sixth-round pick of the Giants back in 2022, so he was one of the draft picks under Joe Schoen’s first class. Beavers was playing extremely well during the preseason last summer and many had him penciled in to be one of the two starting middle linebackers.

Then an ACL injury ended his rookie season. Beavers spent the entire offseason getting stronger and back into football shape to where he could have a chance to win back the job he was penciled in for. But then he didn’t quite look the same this past preseason. He was even leaped over by Micah McFadden on the depth chart.

Then came the trade for Isaiah Simmons with the Arizona Cardinals, which changed everything. Simmons leaped both McFadden and Beavers on the depth chart and made an early impact in the preseason finale against the New York Jets. Simmons' arrival was likely sealing the fates of either Beavers or McFadden, and it ended up being Beavers.

Beavers got waived before ever stepping onto the field and playing in a regular season game for the Giants despite being drafted a year ago by them. It just goes to show how cutthroat the business side of the NFL can be, especially if you are a possible playoff team. Beavers is back on the practice squad, but not many expected him to be off the 53-man roster at this point in the summer.

1. OLB Boogie Basham

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the day wasn’t a roster cut. Instead, it was a trade to reinforce the pass-rush, and all Schoen had to do was look to his old buddies over in Buffalo and Brandon Beane to make a deal happen in landing Boogie Basham.

Basham was a former second-round pick of the Bills back in 2021 - when Schoen was the Bills assistant general manager - so the Big Blue GM knew Basham and the potential he has. With Oshane Ximines not living up to his potential, the Giants certainly needed pass-rush depth behind Kayvon Thibodeaux and Azeez Ojulari on the outside.

Then out of nowhere, Schoen made the deal with the Bills to bring Basham over to the Giants. The trade all but sealed Ximines’ fate with the team since he was waived on Tuesday - Ximines has since been added to the practice squad.

Basham is still on his rookie contract and can continue to progress under Wink Martindale’s defense. His arrival also gives the Giants more depth on the outside, especially in case Ojulari experiences any injuries.

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