Giants make shocking move by releasing preseason standout ahead of final cuts deadline
The New York Giants began their process of cutting down to the final 53-man roster after their preseason win over the New England Patriots with a shocking move.
The New York Giants wrapped up their preseason action with a dominant 42-10 victory over the New England Patriots.
While spirits are high after an undefeated preseason, some members of the team are about to receive disappointing news that they will not be making the final 53-man roster. Not everyone can make the team, meaning we’ll see some potentially unexpected names cut from the team.
It has been less than 12 hours since the Patriots game ended, and according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic, the first big surprise is wide receiver Montrell Washington.
Washington won’t make the Giants’ final roster
The Giants’ wide receiver room is unexpectedly crowded despite not having many big-name playmakers outside Malik Nabers. This created a tough uphill battle for Washington to sneak into the mix.
Throughout training camp, Washington was generating a ton of buzz for his reliability and highlight plays while competing with the backups. He backed it up with solid stats through the Giants’ three preseason games, finishing with 105 yards on seven receptions. He started the preseason hot with a 60-yard performance against the Buffalo Bills.
Last season, the Giants only kept six receivers on cut-down day, making it an unlikely feat to make the team for Washington. It’s even more complicated with the Giants needing to prioritize a spot for a return man between Ihmir Smith-Marsette and Gunner Olszewski.
Nabers, Darius Slayton, Wan’Dale Robinson, and Jalin Hyatt had solidified roles, which left only one spot for Washington to occupy. Rookie UDFA Beaux Collins from Notre Dame has shown a lot of potential, and it pays more dividends to develop a youngster.
Ultimately, Washington wasn’t just competing with other wide receivers to make the roster. He also competed with running back Dante Miller, who emerged as an unexpected high-impact player.
Miller likely won’t receive touches as a running back, but his speed became an evident asset as an additional kick returner and overall special teams ace. During the preseason, Miller finished with 80 rushing yards and 135 receiving yards. Keeping a fourth running back leads to another position group losing seats.
It’s disappointing to see that Washington could not do enough to stick with the Giants despite all of the hard work that he put in. We’ll have to see which other moves happen before the final roster is announced early next week.
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