The first half of the New York Giants‘ preseason finale gave us a look into the most borderline bubble cuts going into the weekend. Players like Hunter Sharp, Kalif Raymond, Amba Etta-Tawo, Donte Deayon, Grant Haley and more, all put their cards on the table to earn a spot on the 53-man roster.
The Giants will have to cut 40 players over the weekend, and while some fan-favorites may depart, some will remain with the team.
Let’s take a look at which Giants stated their case against the Patriots on Thursday:
1.) CB Donte Deayon
The third-year undersized corner has fought tooth and nail to earn a spot on the active roster, and I think he’s finally pushed the coaches into a corner. His two interception first half should spring him onto the team, and to be quite frank, it might earn him a chance at a starting spot in the future. With Eli Apple struggling in coverage, it could open the door for Deayon to step in and fill an inconsistent role. What a story that would be.
2.) WR Kalif Raymond
Kalif Raymond has performed well over the course of the preseason, but the finale really opened some eyes. His numbers don’t stand out at one reception for 20 yards, but he was missed badly on two deep passes from Kyle Lauletta. One was a deep route where Raymond had a good two steps on the corner and had day-light ahead, the other on under-thrown ball that could’ve been a “hit in stride” touchdown with a little more arm.
Overall, he presents value as a reserve WR and a kick return specialist.
3.) CB Chris Lewis-Harris
The Giants are in dire need of a true slot corner and Lewis-Harris fits the bill nicely. He’s had a strong preseason and continued it with a six tackles, two defended passes performance against the Patriots. He could start the season as ‘the’ slot-corner ahead of veteran William Gay.
4.) S Andrew Adams
For some odd reason, safety Andrew Adams has pulled the short end of the stick repeatedly since being drafted. He’s performed well at times but seems to keep falling down the depth chart. In the finale, Adams recorded four total tackles with one for a loss. He looked sharp and energized while on the field. Will it be enough to keep him on the roster? Maybe, but for now, it seems as if he could be a roster cut with new acquisition Michael Thomas displaying starting potential.