New York Giants Players Most Likely to Be Cut Before Start of 2015 Season

So far this offseason, you've read about all the standouts on the practice field. You've probably heard about all the rookies learning the playbook and all the veterans bouncing back from last year's injuries, as well. All sorts of starters, statistics and standings have been predicted as hype begins to build for the 2015 NFL season.

However, of all the New York Giants content you've come across on the web so far this offseason, a minute percentage has been dedicated to the camp bodies. Although these players are part of a bloated roster to be trimmed down before the regular season, they don't deserve to be completely glossed over—right?

That's why this slideshow is designed to highlight five Giants who are most likely to be cut before the regular season begins.

Just to be clear, these players have almost no chance of making New York's 53-man roster at the end of the summer. This piece is designed to give the undiscussed players some love for once. After all, this could be the only NFL shout-out they get.

Ricky Stanzi, QB

Seth Wenig/Associated Press

The Giants are unlikely to keep a third quarterback on the roster, as they've done so only once over the past four seasons (2013, to stash then-rookie Ryan Nassib for a year). That's bum luck for Ricky Stanzi, who's currently the third-string QB on New York's depth chart.

Stanzi played at Iowa from 2007 to 2010. He won the starting quarterback job as a redshirt-sophomore in 2008 and led the Hawkeyes to three consecutive bowl victories. In his final collegiate season, Stanzi completed 64.1 percent of his attempts and eclipsed 3,000 passing yards. He also threw 25 touchdowns and just six interceptions.

The Kansas City Chiefs drafted Stanzi in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL draft. He spent two seasons with the Chiefs but never took a snap for them. Stanzi spent the next two seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans but never took the field for those teams either.

So, 27 years old and still without a single NFL statistic, Stanzi's giving it one more go-round with the Giants this summer. New York signed him after the conclusion of the 2014 season to a reserve/future contract.

Stanzi will serve as an extra arm in training camp to help man various drills, keeping Eli Manning and Nassib fresh.

Ben Edwards, WR

Julio Cortez/Associated Press

There's an interesting cast coming together at wide receiver for the Giants. Odell Beckham Jr., Rueben Randle and Victor Cruz can be a tremendous starting trio. If Cruz is slow in his recovery from a knee injury that ended his 2014 season after six games, the Giants have options to replace him in Preston Parker and Dwayne Harris. And don't forget about the big-bodied reserves they have on the outside in preseason star Corey Washington and sixth-round rookie Geremy Davis.

That leaves almost no room for pocket-sized pass-catcher Ben Edwards to make an impact.

Edwards played at Richmond from 2010 to 2013 and was turning in a pretty productive senior year until he tore a knee ligament and had to sit out the rest of the way. The injury not only ruined his chances in the draft, it also kept NFL teams from signing him as a free agent. Finally, this spring, Edwards landed with the Giants.

Even though the Giants have taken a liking to Richmond products in recent years (see: Cooper Taylor, Kerry Wynn), Edwards is unlikely to continue the trend. He's already the team's smallest receiver at 5'10" and 197 pounds. But on top of that, Edwards is trying to make the leap from Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) competition to the NFL after spending a year away from the game.

Robert Malone, P

Rhona Wise/Associated Press

Few punters have as firm a grip on their job as Steve Weatherford. Since signing with the Giants as a free agent before the 2011 season, Weatherford has dropped 97 punts (31.2 percent) inside the opponent's 20-yard line while maintaining an average of 46.3 yards per punt. For his services, the Giants will pay him $3,075,000 in 2015—the team's ninth-highest cap hit, per Spotrac.

But Weatherford will have to entertain some competition this summer, as the Giants have brought in Robert Malone to keep him company during training camp.

A Fresno State product, Malone is on his seventh team since entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He has punted a total of 157 times in the pros, with a career average of 44.5 yards per punt. During the only season in which Malone punted all 16 games (2012, as a New York Jet), he had two boots blocked.

Weatherford, a 32-year-old who looks more like a linebacker than a punter, couldn't be stopped by a sore ankle last season. Not even a nasty car wreck on the New Jersey Turnpike could touch him. He should make quick work of Malone.

Carlif Taylor, DT

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No photo available for Carlif Taylor.

The Giants have one of the NFL's best young defensive tackles in Johnathan Hankins, but there's still no telling who starts next to him. Cullen Jenkins is slowing down at 34 years old; plus, he could be needed quite a bit at end. There are hopes that former third-round pick Jay Bromley fills the role. But if he fails to do so, the Giants can try pairing Markus Kuhn or free-agency acquisition Kenrick Ellis with Hankins at tackle.

New York would have to exhaust all other options before giving Carlif Taylor serious consideration for the job.

Taylor played for Southern Connecticut State from 2011 to 2014. A big man (6'2", 319 lbs) coming out of a tiny Division II program, Taylor was signed as an undrafted free agent this spring and faces the longest of odds to make the team.

A captain in college, Taylor identifies as a versatile "team player" who specializes in stopping the run, according to an interview he did with Antwan Staley of Pro Player Insiders. As a professional, however, he could be nothing more than a camp body.

Tony Johnson, LB

Seth Wenig/Associated Press

No photo available of Tony Johnson.

The Giants have offered legitimate opportunities to undrafted linebackers in the past. Mark Herzlich, for example, was picked up as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He's still with the team after agreeing to a new two-year deal this offseason. In spite of this precedent, it'd be surprising to see Tony Johnson still in New York and vying for a new contract four years from now.

Johnson played two seasons at the junior college level (Southwest Mississippi C.C.) before transferring to Louisiana Tech for his final two years of NCAA eligibility. As a senior in 2014, Johnson accounted for 69 total tackles, including 7.5 stops for a loss and 2.5 sacks. He also broke up three passes and forced two fumbles.

Johnson comes to the Giants, like many others, as an undrafted rookie. He was signed less than a month ago, though, so he has ground to make up on the guys who were signed right after the draft.

Much along New York's defensive line remains undetermined, so the Giants may choose to sacrifice a linebacker in order to carry an extra lineman on the roster in 2015. If this ends up being the case, Johnson will be one of the first 'backers to hit the road.

Kevin Boilard writes about the New York Giants at Bleacher Report