This is not a new exercise to GiantsGab–Jesse Bartolis did it a little while back, but I thought I’d add my two cents to the discussion:
Quarterbacks: Eli Manning, David Carr (2)
The Giants carried two QBs last year, and I think they’ll do it again. I think they’ll try to get Rhett Bomar on the practice squad, while outright cutting Andre Woodson, who has not shown me anything in preseason. Getting, and keeping, Bomar on the practice squad might be harder than you think, because one QB needy team might snatch him up
Running backs: Brandon Jacobs, Ahamad Bradshaw, Danny Ware, Madison Hedgecock (4, 6 total)
Andre Brown makes this team if healthy. 3 running backs and a full back is enough, I think. The majority of carries will belong to Jacobs and Bradshaw anyway. Hedgecock has proven to be a solid fullback
Wide Receivers: Domenik Hixon, Steve Smith, Mario Manningham, Hakeem Nicks, Derek Hagan, Ramses Barden (6, 12 total)
I hate to leave David Tyree off this list, but let’s face it: His time has come. Hagan has outplayed him, and injuries have not helped. I’m also cutting Sinorice Moss. He’s been a bust, and offers no value other than return, which is not even a strength of his. Time to cut your losses with Sinorice.
TIght Ends: Kevin Boss, Travis Beckum, Michael Matthews (3, 15 total)
Matthews makes this team because he can block, which is not a strong suit of Darcy Johnson. I really think Beckum will have a Dustin Keller-type rookie season. Keller had 535 yards and 3 touchdowns.
Offensive Lineman: Kareem McKenzie, David Diehl, Guy Whimper, William Beatty, Chris Snee, Rich Seubert, Tutan Reyes, Kevin Boothe, Shaun O’Hara (9, 24 total)
Adam Koets is the one major cut here, but he had an awful camp. Reyes and Boothe will be the primary backups. Whimper might also be in flux, and if the Giants sign another offensive lineman who was cut, he would be the next to go.
Defensive Lineman: Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, Mathias Kiwanuka, Chris Canty, Rocky Bernard, Fred Robbins, Barry Cofield, Jay Alford (?), Maurice Evans, Dave Tollefson (10, 34 total)
If Alford goes on IR, which is a distinct possibility, I would add Anthony Bryant as the last tackle. Evans has great pass rush potential. It would be a shame to lose him.
Linebackers: Antonio Pierce, Michael Boley, Danny Clark, Bryan Kehl, Chase Blackburn, Clint Sintim, Zak DeOssie, Jonathan Goff (8, 42 total)
It’s the end of the Gerris Wilkinson era. He’s been a major disappointment.
Secondary: Aaron Ross, Corey Webster, Terrell Thomas, Kevin Dockery, Kenny Phillips, Michael Johnson, CC Brown, Bruce Johnson, Sha’Reff Rashad (9, 51 total)
This might’ve been the toughest. After CC Brown, there is probably one corner and one safety spot left. I was honestly shocked to see Stoney Woodson cut; I thought he was going to be an important part of the secondary. That said, I was really impressed with Bruce Johnson this offseason. He has blazing speed. DeAndre Wright gets cut here, but he was not good in the Jets game. As for the final safety spot, it was a toss up between Sha’Reff Rashad and Vince Anderson. Neither did anything to beat out the other in preseason competition. I go with Rashad only because he played college ball at a bigger school (Central Florida) than Anderson (Weber International). That experience gives him the edge.
Kicker/Punter: Lawrence Tynes, Jeff Fealges (2, 53 total)
Some teams carry a third kicker, but Tynes gets good enough length on his kickoffs.
Practice Squad: Rhett Bomar, Kenny Ingram, DeAndre Wright, Vince Anderson, Terrance Pennington, Darcy Johnson, Allen Patrick, Leger Douzable
All right, there you have it. What do you think?
I think doing this is much harder than it seems.
I think they will keep 4 Tight Ends because Beckum probably won’t be blocking on goal line situations and one injury to any TE could be fatal with only three.
I think you’re right about the Giants picking up another veteran OL (probably a Center).
I really, really don’t want to lose Maurice Evans.
[…] Predicting the 53 man roster by the Fuchs man […]
Here’s my predicted roster.
QB 2 Manning, Carr
RB 4 Jacobs, Bradshaw, Hedgecock, Ware
WR 7 Smith, Hixon, Manningham, Nicks, Barden, Moss, Hagan
TE 3 Boss, Matthews, Beckum
OL 9 Diehl, O’Hara, Seubert, Snee, McKenzie, Reyes, Boothe, Beatty, Koets
DE 4 Tuck, Umenyiora, Kiwanuka, Tollefson
DT 4 Canty, Robbins, Bernard, Cofield
LB 8 Pierce, Boley, Clark, Kehl, Wilkinson, Goff, Blackburn, Sintim
CB 5 Webster, Ross, Wright, Thomas, Dockery
S 3 Johnson, Phillips, Brown
K 1 Tynes
P 1 Feagles
Though I’d like to see Blackburn gone, and another TE added, but that won’t happen, because he’s the golden boy…
I dont think Darcy johnson can be on the pratice squad. He was on the active roster and cant go back to the PS.