The New York Giants signed three wide receivers soon after the draft. Odell Beckham Jr. drew headlines, JuJu Smith-Schuster created buzz, and Braxton Berrios went unnoticed. A few months later, Berrios could be the only one of the group to make Big Blue's 53-man roster. Smith-Schuster has already been released, and Beckham Jr. seems to be on thin ice.
Berrios, on the other hand, has seemingly solidified his spot as the Giants' primary return man. In a recent 53-man roster projection, ESPN's Jordan Raanan all but confirmed his spot in the squad, saying, "Berrios is safer because he is the team's returner."
After generating almost no noise when he joined the team in the spring, the veteran receiver is a lock for a spot in the final roster.
WR Braxton Berrios has solidified his spot on the New York Giants' roster
Berrios hasn't been especially impactful in the preseason so far. In fact, he made just one catch for nine yards in the first preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings. In that game, he only played 13 offensive snaps.
Interestingly, though, Berrios didn't step on the field for New York's second preseason game against the Miami Dolphins. Typically, healthy players only sit out for preseason matchups if they are locked into their spot on the roster.
Beckham Jr., on the other hand, was still on the field for the Giants in the second half against the Dolphins. Notably, he failed to hold onto what would have been a touchdown pass from Jameis Winston. The Giants legend seems to be closer to the edge of the roster than Berrios is.
Berrios is a reliable slot receiver, but he likely won't play much on offense if he is included in Big Blue's final roster. As Raanan mentioned, he is expected to primarily operate as the Giants' punt returner.
He returned two punts for 30 total yards in the preseason opener, and he has 100 career punt returns under his belt. While he has never returned a punt for a touchdown, he hasn't muffed a punt since 2023.
Head coach John Harbaugh values special teams more than most in the NFL, so it wouldn't be surprising to see him roster a player whose primary use will be in the return game. It seems like Berrios has worked his way up the pecking order enough to become a solid member of the final roster.
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