5 Players Who Might Find Themselves on New York Giants' Practice Squad in 2015
For a young player trying to make his way in the NFL, the ultimate prize is a place on the 53-man roster. However, the consolation prize, which is a spot on a team’s practice squad, isn’t necessarily a bad deal either and not just because of the generous weekly stipend that’s associated with it.
Teams use practice squads to stash players who they feel can ultimately help them down the line. In the meantime, those players receive the same coaching and development as their teammates as they continue to work on fine-tuning their craft.
With all that said, the New York Giants have several candidates who, with strong summer camps, will likely land on the practice squad after everything is said and done. Let’s take a look at five potential prospects and determine why their best chance would appear to be a spot on the Giants' practice squad.
WR Ben Edwards
1 of 5
The Giants are currently loaded at receiver, so much so that if enough of the younger guys have strong camps, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Giants try to engineer a trade prior to cutting some of that talent.
One youngster who probably won’t find himself on the trading block but likely appears headed to the practice squad is Ben Edwards, the 5’10”, 197-pound rookie out of Richmond.
This spring, Edwards has looked electrifying with the ball in his hands. Although not very tall, he adjusted well as a slot receiver and showed an aptitude for returning punts.
Those skills could come in handy next year if veteran Victor Cruz’s progress from a torn patellar tendon in his knee hits a ceiling.
Right now all of the parties are optimistic about having Cruz back on the field for opening day, this based on the rehab work the sixth-year receiver was able to do in the spring.
However, remember that Cruz did that work without pads on and on a dry surface and without defenders lunging at him.
That’s why general manager Jerry Reese has repeatedly cautioned reporters to wait and see what happens when the pads go on.
If Cruz does come back but does not look like the player he was before his injury—remember his game was predicated on speed, quickness and explosion, all traits that the seriousness of his injury and subsequent surgery likely compromised—the Giants will have a decision to make.
Do they carry Cruz, who has a $9.9 million cap hit in 2016, and roll the dice with him continuing to work his way back, or do they cut their losses?
If they’re forced to do the latter, Edwards could make for an intriguing replacement as a slot receiver as well as take the onus off Dwayne Harris on punt and kickoff returns if Harris should move up on the receiver depth chart.
S Justin Currie
2 of 5
Premium undrafted free-agent signee Justin Currie, a 6’2”, 214-pound safety out of Western Michigan, raised a few eyebrows at the team’s mandatory minicamp earlier this month when he took snaps with the starting unit.
In reality, that probably should not be that much of a surprise considering that the Giants’ safety position still isn’t settled, this despite the fact that the team played Cooper Taylor alongside rookie Landon Collins for the majority of the first-team snaps.
Moving forward, the Giants should have a healthy Nat Berhe back on the field—Berhe missed the entire spring because of a calf strain.
If the Giants keep a swingman or two who can play both corner and safety—candidates would include Bennett Jackson and Josh Gordy—that means there will probably be room for just two out of Berhe, Taylor and Currie.
Since Currie is the only one out of those three eligible for the practice squad, it makes sense to put him down in ink for a practice squad position if he has a strong summer.
TE Matt LaCosse
3 of 5
Although veteran Daniel Fells was Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded Giants tight end last season, that doesn’t make the 31-year-old Fells a lock for a roster spot.
The Giants instead might look toward the future by adding one of Jerome Cunningham, Matt LaCosse or Will Tye to the 53-man roster, with the second-best player within that competition a likely practice squad candidate.
Based on the spring showing, Cunningham, who received snaps with the starters thanks to Achilles tendinitis sidelining Larry Donnell for most of the spring, appears to have the edge for a roster spot.
If LaCosse, a known blocker in college, can show he is capable of handling the NFL’s behemoths with relative ease, he could push Cunningham, who is also eligible for a practice squad spot, for that roster spot.
Make no mistake—the Giants must have really liked LaCosse to offer him not only a $5,000 signing bonus, but also, according to Jordan Raanan of NJ Advance Media, guarantee the rookie $5,000 of his 2015 salary, a rarity for an undrafted rookie free agent.
With that kind of financial investment, LaCosse is going to be on this team one way or another. If the season were to start tomorrow, his role would be on the practice squad.
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OT Michael Bamiro
4 of 5
Any way you slice the pie, the Giants' depth at offensive tackle is still paper-thin, which is why one of the young rookie prospects at the position is almost guaranteed a practice squad spot unless he completely bombs out in the summer.
The most likely prospect to earn that spot is Michael Bamiro, who at 6’8” and 340 pounds is the largest of the Giants offensive linemen.
The former Stony Brook standout, who spent time in the Philadelphia Eagles camp, was on the Giants' practice squad last year for a time, so he comes with the advantage of already having a grasp on the system.
He has also had a chance to get extra coaching throughout the spring, coaching that has gone a long way toward refining his onetime choppy technique.
While Bamiro probably won’t be in a position to help the 53-man roster right away, a strong training camp will bode well for him down the line.
Thanks to the Will Beatty pectoral injury, the Giants' depth behind current projected starting tackles Ereck Flowers and Marshall Newhouse is John Jerry, the latter of whom is not signed beyond this year.
Perhaps as the year grinds on, Bamiro might be closer to contributing, but given the situation on the offensive line, it would be surprising if the Giants don’t add at least one pure offensive tackle to the practice squad.
ILB Cole Farrand
5 of 5
The Giants appear to have a short-term plan for their middle linebacker position in the event that projected starter Jon Beason can’t make it through a 16-game season.
That plan is for 29-year-old Jameel McClain—who stepped in for Beason in the middle last year and who split reps with the 30-year-old throughout the spring—to be the first off the bench if the unthinkable should occur.
The problem is that after this season, McClain’s contract with the Giants ends. While they signed Beason through 2016, there is no guarantee the Giants will keep him at his $6.566 million cap hit, especially if he ends up injured again.
That’s why it makes sense to have a player like Farrand on the practice squad. At 6’2”, 229 pounds, Farrand probably needs a solid year in an NFL weight room to build up some more strength and bulk to better hold up against the run.
By putting him on the practice squad, he can continue to receive pointers on his technique, learn the playbook and work on his strength so that next year he can potentially compete for a starting job if the Giants don't retain Beason and McClain.
All salary-cap and contract information are courtesy of Over the Cap unless otherwise noted.
Patricia Traina covers the Giants for Inside Football, the Journal Inquirer and Sports Xchange. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes, observations and information were obtained firsthand. Follow me on Twitter.
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