The New York Giants made several waiver claims on Wednesday afternoon, adding two defensive players and one of the tallest wide receivers in the NFL. Not a single Giants that was released was picked up by another team, indicating how weak their depth was at specific positions, notably on the offensive line. In addition, the players they cut at wide receiver were also passed on, which means David Sills could end up back on the practice squad. The Giants have already resigned multiple players, including Niko Lalos, Brett Heggie, Matt Cole, and Damion Willis.
The Giants have claimed:
LB: Justin Hilliard
WR: Collin Johnson
LB: Quincy RocheRoche is an OLB rookie, some upside there, was at Senior Bowl.
Johnson is a 5th round pick from last year out of Texas — as of last year he was the tallest WR in the NFL! pic.twitter.com/etsMVcUEKP
— Alex Wilson (@AlexWilsonESM) September 1, 2021
New York Giants claim three players off waivers:
1.) LB: Quincy Roche
Quincy Roche finished the preseason with the Pittsburgh Steelers with six total tackles and two sacks. At 6’3″ and 245 pounds, Roche has a few physical limitations but posted solid grades this preseason.
Per Lance Zierlein of NFL.com:
Roche has packed the stat sheets for the better part of four years, but he’s very average athletically and doesn’t have the mass to consistently hold up at the point of attack. He’s tight in his lower half, which limits his ability to corner sharply when attacking the pocket. However, he’s limber in his upper body, which creates opportunities to slide off of blocks and make plays at awkward angles. His production should matter, but the athletic profile might push him down the board.
2.) WR: Collin Johnson
The Giants also claimed former Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Collin Johnson, who was a fifth-round draft pick in 2020 out of Texas. Johnson is a big 6’6″ receiver who closely mirrors Kenny Golladay’s frame and skill set. The Johnson pick-up is a solid move in the instance that Kenney suffers an injury, and they need to supplement his loss with a similar style of player. While Johnson is nowhere near the quality that Golladay provides, he is known for his 50/50 balls and red-zone catch radius.
Per The Draft Network:
Big physical WR that displays good overall athleticism for the position. He uses excellent length and excellent catch radius in contested catch situations. He shows sufficient play speed on 8 and 9 routes while also displaying good tracking ability to locate the football in the air. He will use his big body to catch a 6 route and absorb contact. Displays good willingness and courage to give up his body to secure off targeted throws. Very good competitiveness to make difficult catches at critical moments in the game. He will be a red-zone nightmare for defenders due to his big body and ability to go get the football anywhere on the field.
3.) LB: Justin Hilliard
Another player with a solid off-season was former Ohio State linebacker, Justin Hilliard. As an undrafted free agent this year, Hilliard picked up 15 tackles and eight stops over 110 total snaps this preseason with the San Francisco 49ers. Clearly, the Giants view him as a potential developmental piece at LB and considering their lack of depth there, this is a solid pick-up that could pay off in dividends down the road.
Hilliard is also known for his coverage abilities and versatility, which is a major bonus for a team that doesn’t have a traditional coverage-based linebacker.