The Giants continued to discard players who were with them last season and this entire spring and summer and sign outsiders to their revolving door roster. Tuesday’s transactions were the additions of John Jenkins, a 29-year old defensive tackle, and Nate Stupar, a 30-year old linebacker. The Giants also waived Romeo Okwara, a 23-year old defensive end who had one memorable moment in a Giants uniform. These moves make the Giants more experienced but older, and continue a trend of utter upheaval at the back end of the roster. On Sunday, the Giants claimed an uncommonly high number of players — six — off waivers, jettisoning six players. By adding two more players, five days before the regular-season opener against the Jaguars, the tally grew to eight newcomers who were discarded by other teams and have no working knowledge of the Giants offensive and defensive systems. This is not an ideal way to go about roster building. “Hopefully we’re not gonna have years like this where there’s this much turnover right at the back end,’’ coach Pat Shurmur said Tuesday on WFAN. “But it is what it is. We’ve committed to making sure we try to improve the roster, even if it’s incremental.’’ see also Giants go crazy on waiver wire after roster purge The Giants on Sunday discarded six players who were with... Jenkins played in eight games last season for the Bears. He was a 2013 third-round pick of the Saints out of Georgia and spent four years in New Orleans. A 327-pound run-stuffer, he played in 42 games his first three years in the NFL and only 17 the past three years. He was with the Seahawks in 2016 before one season in Chicago and figures to slide in as the backup nose tackle to Damon “Snacks’’ Harrison. The past few days, the Giants also added Mario Edwards Jr., another defensive lineman, as they parted ways with Robert Thomas and A.J. Francis. Jenkins, who was waived by the Bears on Saturday, arrives five days before the Giants open their season against the Jaguars, the NFL’s top-rushing team in 2017. Stupar is a journeyman who was a 2012 seventh-round pick of the Raiders out of Penn State. He played for the 49ers, Jaguars, Falcons and Saints, starting only nine times in his 63 NFL games. He is coming off surgery to repair a torn ACL, an injury suffered in Week 6 last season. He will be a participant on special teams. Stupar’s uncle, Jeff Hostetler, was the winning quarterback for the Giants in Super Bowl XXV. Okwara, in 2016 as an undrafted rookie out of Notre Dame, was called into action after Jason Pierre-Paul was injured in Pittsburgh. Okwara made his first NFL start against the Cowboys Dec. 11 and came up big, with eight tackles, a deflected pass and his first career sack, dropping Dak Prescott for a loss in a 10-7 Giants victory. Okwara played in only six games last season, spending several weeks on injured reserve. Shurmur continues to be coy regarding the pecking order at quarterback behind Eli Manning. The team released its latest unofficial depth chart, and Alex Tanney and rookie Kyle Lauletta are both listed as the primary backup. Also on the depth chart: Wayne Gallman is listed ahead of veteran Jonathan Stewart at running back behind starter Saquon Barkley; Cody Latimer is listed as the No. kickoff returner and newly signed Kaelin Clay is the No. 1 punt returner. Shurmur confirmed LB Olivier Vernon is dealing with a high ankle sprain. Shurmur called Vernon “a fast healer,’’ but did not sound overly optimistic about Vernon being ready to face the Jaguars. DT Josh Banks was signed to the practice squad. Banks made the initial 53-man roster on Saturday but was cut the next day. Banks spent the 2017 season on injured reserve.<doc-sep>What transpired Sunday with the Giants — Davis Webb and several other players who thought they were safe being cut — is a lesson on what happens when a new regime takes over. That regime wants its own players, is loyal to its own players and the only sure thing is change. General manager Dave Gettleman and head coach Pat Shurmur inherited Webb, a third-round pick in 2017 of Jerry Reese and Ben McAdoo. During the spring and summer, Shurmur managed to say a few nice things about Webb, who was presumed to be the backup quarterback to Eli Manning. Shurmur, though, never endorsed that as fact, even as he gave Webb the second-team reps in training camp. The new regime stated what it thinks about Webb by the action it took. Webb on Saturday made the initial 53-man roster but the Giants kept four quarterbacks, a sign something was brewing. The Giants tried to find a trade partner for Webb and when they could not, they cut him, leaving an eclectic mix of rookie Kyle Lauletta and 30-year old Alex Tanney as the quarterbacks behind Eli Manning. Think of that. The Giants kept Tanney, a nondescript journeyman who has been signed and discarded by seven teams, and dumped Webb, an earnest 23-year old with a howitzer right arm. Webb’s departure was part of a wild day of dealing by the Giants, who claimed and were awarded six players off waivers. That is stunning player movement, and an indication how lacking the new decision-makers viewed the talent on the roster. The Giants are coming off a 3-13 season and are purging nearly all remnants of that disaster. The new Giants, moving immediately to the 53-man roster, are kick returner Kaelin Clay, defensive end Mario Edwards Jr., defensive backs Antonio Hamilton, Mike Jordan and Kamrin Moore and offensive lineman Spencer Pulley. The Giants had to make six corresponding moves to fit the new players onto the roster. In addition to Webb, they parted ways with veteran guard John Jerry, veteran cornerback William Gay, defensive lineman Josh Banks, tight end Jerell Adams and kick returner Hunter Sharp. It does not appear as if the Giants have a legitimate backup quarterback. Lauletta showed plenty of moxie this summer, but, coming from an FBS school in the Colonial Athletic Association, it is a leap of faith to assume he could take control of the offense should anything happen to Manning. Tanney is a complete unknown — he last started a game in 2011, in college — in Division III. Keeping these two around and eliminating Webb, a youngster with a good attitude and definite physical skills, shows just how intent Gettleman and Shurmur are to build this team in their own image, with their own players. That Shurmur, a noted developer of quarterbacks, signed off on the release of Webb is all you need to know about what the Giants feel about Webb’s potential — especially considering the quarterbacks they decided to keep. Webb, Shurmur said, was too “amped up’’ in his preseason debut, while Shurmur praised Lauletta’s calm demeanor. There was no way Lauletta would be sent packing. Keeping Tanney qualifies as a major upset. He is a product of Monmouth College in Illinois and kicked around NFL camps and practice squads for six years. He has appeared in one NFL game, with the Titans in 2015. Webb was never quite the heir apparent to Manning, but Reese and especially McAdoo thought enough of the tall, strong-armed prospect to make him the 87th overall player taken in last year’s draft. The thought was Webb could develop into the next starter when Manning, 37, was finished. Gettleman and Shurmur watched Webb, liked his work ethic and his attention to detail but never saw great potential in him. When Lauletta was taken in the fourth round of the draft it was a sign the brain trust wanted another young quarterback to develop. The thinking that the Giants bypassed taking a quarterback with the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft — they went with running back Saquon Barkley — had anything to do with Webb’s presence on the roster was faulty logic at the time and now proven to be completely misguided. The Giants loved Barkley more than they loved any of the quarterback prospects. It had nothing to do with Webb. Now, the Giants have nothing to do with Webb as well.<doc-sep>With the preseason officially over, it's now cut time in the NFL. During the preseason, NFL teams are allowed to carry 90 players on their roster, but that's going to change this weekend when all 32 NFL teams have to cut down to just 53 players. That number means that a total of 1,184 players are going to lose their jobs between now and Saturday afternoon. Under NFL rules, each team has to make their final cuts by 4 p.m ET on Saturday. Most teams started the cut making process on Friday and like always, there were be some shocking moves. One notable player who's already out of a job is Texans punter Shane Lechler, who was cut on Friday after Houston decided to move forward with rookie Trevor Daniel. During early cuts on Saturday, we saw two veteran defensive ends get released in Michael Johnson (Bengals) and Brian Robison (Vikings). The Patriots have also parted ways with running back Mike Gillislee, who scored three touchdowns in the team's regular season opener in 2017. The Cowboys also surprisingly cut ties with the team's all-time leading scorer, kicker Dan Bailey. Besides cuts, you'll likely also see a fair amount of trades this weekend and we've already seen a blockbuster one with the Raiders sending Khalil Mack to Chicago. Anyway, we'll be keeping tabs on every cut over the next 48 hours. The list below will be updated regularly with reported cuts and official cuts throughout the weekend. AFC East Buffalo Bills Players cut to reach 53 (FINAL): LB Tanner Vallejo, DE Ryan Russell, WR Corey Coleman, DE Mat Boesen, OG Ike Boettger, DB Breon Borders, DB Ryan Carter, WR Kaelin Clay, OT Gerhard de Beer, WR Malachi Dupre, RB Keith Ford, DT Rickey Hatley, DE Albert Havili, OT Josh James, DE Mike Love, DB Dean Marlowe, TE Nick OâLeary, WR Cam Phillips, OT Mo Porter, WR Austin Proehl, C Adam Redmond, WR Brandon Reilly, RB Sam Rogers, LB Corey Thompson, TE Keith Towbridge, DB Levi Wallace, OT DeâOndre Wesley, LB Xavier Woodson-Luster, RB Travaris Cadet, DE Terrence Fede, DB Kelcie McCray, P Jon Ryan, WR Rod Streater, DT Tyrunn Walker Miami Dolphins Players cut to reach 53 (FINAL): K Greg Joseph, TE Gavin Escobar, CB Tony Lippett, WR Rashawn Scott, CB Johnathan Alston, G Isaac Asiata, CB Taveze Calhoun, WR Leonte Carroo, LB Cayson Collins, CB Jalen Davis, TE Thomas Duarte, S Trae Elston, WR Isaiah Ford, LB Terence Garvin,LB Frank Ginda, LS Lucas Granvelle, C Connor Hilland, RB Buddy Howell, T Roubbens Joseph, RB Jeremy Langford, DL Kendall Langford, WR Malcolm Lewis, DE Cameron Malveaux, DE Claudy Mathieu, C Mike Matthews, WR Drew Morgan, DT Anthony Moten, WR Francis Owusu, DT Jamiyus Pittman, LB Quentin Poling, RB Brandon Radcliff, T Eric Smith, T David Steinmetz, Jonathan Woodard New England Patriots Players cut to reach 53 (FINAL): RB Khalfani Muhammad, WR Paul Turner, OG Jason King, DL Frank Herron, CB Ryan Lewis, WR Devin Lucien, DT Vincent Valentine, RB Mike Gillislee, CB Jomal Wiltz, WR Riley McCarron, RB Brandon Bolden, LB Harvey Langi, DL John Atkins, P Corey Bojorquez, OL Luke Bowanko, OL Cole Croston, QB Danny Etling, RB Kenneth Farrow, OL James Ferentz, LB Marquis Flowers, DL Trent Harris, CB Cyrus Jones, DL Eric Lee, WR K.J. Maye, DB A.J. Moore, FB Henry Poggi, OL Brian Schwenke, OL Matt Tobin, DB Damarius Travis, TE Will Tye, RB Ralph Webb New York Jets Players cut to reach 53 (FINAL): WR Charles Johnson, FB Dimitri Flowers, OL Gino Gradkowski, LB David Bass, DL Kendall Reyes, OL Antonio Garcia, OL Darius James, LB Obum Gwacham, DL Xavier Cooper, LB Kevin Minter, DL Mych Thomas, RB George Atkinson, OG Alex Balducci, CB Xavier Coleman, S Kacy Rodgers II, OG Dakoda Shepley, CB Terrell Sinkfield, QB John Wolford, WR Jonah Trinnaman, K Taylor Bertolet, RB Thomas Rawls, TE Clive Walford, WR Tre McBride, WR Chad Hansen, CB Jeremy Clark, DT Deon Simon, LB Lorenzo Maudlin, LB Frankie Luvu, S Brandon Bryant, LB Anthony Wint, C Travis Swanson, RB Charcandrick West, LB Dylan Donahue AFC North Baltimore Ravens Players cut to reach 53 (FINAL): TE Nick Keizer, CB Robertson Daniel, G/T Andrew Donnal, G Justin Evans, DE Christian La Couture, DB Kai Nacua, CB Jackson Porter, WR DeVier Posey, LS Trent Sieg, LB Alvin Jones, OL Nico Siragusa, WR Breshad Perriman, OT Randin Crecelius, NT Carl Davis, RB Gus Edwards, RB Christopher Ezeala, DE Myles Humphrey, DE Bronson Kaufusi, OG Cameron Lee, WR Andre Levrone, OG Maurquice Shakir, TE Vince Mayle, RB Mark Thompson, RB De'Lance Turner, TE Darren Waller, WR Tim White, QB Josh Woodrum, LB Albert McClellan Cincinnati Bengals Players cut to reach 53 (FINAL): RB Jarveon Williams, DB Darius Hillary, CB C.J. Goodwin, H-back Ryan Hewitt, DE Michael Johnson, RB Chris Okoye, CB Josh Shaw, C T.J. Johnson, LB Brandon Bell, DB Tyrice Beverette, TE Moritz Bohringer, WR Devonte Boyd, DT Andrew Brown, K Jonathan Brown, RB Quinton Flowers, H-Back Jordan Franks, CB C.J. Goodwin, RB Brian Hill, LB Junior Joseph, C Brad Lundblade, WR Jared Murphy, OL Justin Murray, OL Kent Perkins, DT Simeyon Robinson, WR Kayaune Ross, CB Keivarae Russell, WR Ka'Raun White, WR Kermit Whitfield, DT Eddy Wilson, QB Logan Woodside, LB Chris Worley Cleveland Browns Players cut to reach 53 (FINAL) : WR Jeff Janis, QB Brogan Roback, OL Anthony Fabiano, DL Jeremy Faulk, OL Avery Gennesy, DB Derron Smith, DL Blaine Woodson, DL Lenny Jones, OL Fred Lauina, WR C.J. Board, DB Elijah Campbell, LB Justin Currie, TE Stephen Baggett, DB Christian Boutte, LB B.J. Bello, DL Caleb Brantley, TE Devon Cajuste, RB Matthew Dayes, OL Christian DiLauro, OL Spencer Drango, DL Daniel Ekuale, DL Zaycoven Henderson, RB Dontrell Hilliard, WR Blake Jackson, DB Mike Jordan, DB Montrel Meander, DL Nate Orchard, DB Tigie Sankoh, WR Da'Mari Scott, LB Brady Sheldon, DB Simeon Thomas, P Justin Vogel, FB Danny Vitale Pittsburgh Steelers Players cut to reach 53 (FINAL): QB Landry Jones, S Nat Berhe, P Matt Wile, RB Jarvion Franklin, RB James Summers, RB Fitzgerald Toussaint, WR Trey Griffey, WR Quadree Henderson, WR Tevin Jones, TE Bucky Hodges, TE Pharoah McKever, TE Christian Scotland-Williamson, OL Larson Graham, OL Patrick Morris, OL Oni Omoile, OL R.J. Prince, OL Jake Rodgers OL Chris Schleuger, CB Brian Allen, CB Dashaun Phillips, CB Malik Reaves, CB Jamar Summers, LB Keion Adams, LB Matt Galambos, LB Farrington Huguenin, DL Parker Cothren, DL Joshua Frazier, DL Greg Gilmore, DL Lavon Hooks, DL Casey Sayles, DL Kendal Vickers, WR Damoun Patterson, WR Marcus Tucker, OL Joseph Cheek, S Malik Golden, LB Keith Kelsey AFC South Houston Texans Players cut to reach 53 (FINAL): P Shane Lechler, RB Terry Swanson, OT Jaryd Jones-Smith, WR Quan Bray, WR Jester Weah, RB Lavon Coleman, WR Braxton Miller, OT David Quessenberry, LB Josh Keyes, Roderick Johnson, TE Jevoni Robinson, QB Joe Webb III, FB Jay Prosch, LB Davin Bellamy, S Ibraheim Campbell, CB Andre Chachere, OL Anthony Coyle, DB Treston Decoud, OL Kyle Fuller, OL Mason Gentry, LB Kennan Gilchrist, CB Bryce Jones, LB Ufamba Kamalu, DL Darius Kilgo, TE Matt Lengel, DB Corey Moore, DL Kingsley Opara, K Nick Rose, OL Chad Slade, DE Nick Thurman, TE Stephen Anderson, LB LaTroy Lewis Indianapolis Colts Players cut to reach 53 (FINAL): S T.J. Green, DE John Simon, TE Mo Alie-Cox, K Mike Badgley, CB Juante Baldwin, DT Brandon Banks, C Deyshawn Bond, G Nick Callender, LB Brandon Chubb, CB Lashard Durr, WR Reece Fountain, WR Cobi Hamilton, WR Steve Ishmael, WR Seantavius Jones, DT Tomasi Laulile, DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches, CB Henre' Toliver, G Jeremy Vujnovich, QB Phillip Walker, CB D.J. White, WR Kasen Williams, LB Tyrell Adams, WR K.J. Brent, T Tyreek Burwell, S Chris Cooper, WR Krishawn Hogan, CB Robert Jackson, S Ronald Martin, S Robenson Therezie, WR James Wright, T Austin Howard, RB Branden Oliver Jacksonville Jaguars<doc-sep>
Mark Herzlich arrived with the Giants in 2011 as an undrafted free agent, a long shot to make the roster after a battle with cancer had turned his life upside down and challenged his football career at Boston College. Herzlich fought his way onto the team and remained with the Giants for seven years, winning a Super Bowl and carving a niche for himself, on and off the field. But now, his time with the Giants, at least as a player, is through. He was among the cuts Saturday in the purge from 90 to 53 players. With Herzlich’s departure, just two players — Eli Manning and long-snapper Zak DeOssie — remain from the Super Bowl XLVI championship team. Herzlich was released on his 31st birthday. Several young veterans with a history with the Giants also were cut: safety Darian Thompson (he was waived/injured), safety Andrew Adams, wide receiver Roger Lewis and linebacker Avery Moss. This is what happens when there is regime change. As of now, there are 27 players returning from 2017 and 26 newcomers — quite an overhaul. Five of the six 2018 draft picks are on the roster and four undrafted rookie free agents — running back Robert Martin, center Evan Brown, safety Sean Chandler and linebacker Tae Davis — made the first cut. So did Donte Deayon, the diminutive cornerback who had two interceptions in the preseason finale. There are also, as of now, four quarterbacks, clearly a sign the Giants will try to see if any team out there is interested in trading for Davis Webb, Kyle Lauletta or Alex Tanney. The Giants will not go into the season with all four on their roster. This is the initial 53-man roster. It is guaranteed not to be the roster the Giants take into the regular season, because they are expected to be active on Sunday scanning the waiver wire, picking up players discarded by other teams around the league. Based on their 3-13 record last season, the Giants are second only to the Browns on the waiver claim list. With that in mind, the Giants kept second-year kicker Aldrick Rosas, but proven veteran Dan Bailey was a surprise cut of the Cowboys and the Giants could have interest. The Cowboys opted to go with Brett Maher — who has never kicked a field goal in the NFL — in place of Bailey, who suffered a groin injury last season. Bailey’s 88.2 percent field goal accuracy in second all-time among NFL kickers. “As I’ve said, I feel like we’re on the right track,” coach Pat Shurmur said. “We had a competitive training camp that forced us to make some tough decisions. We will continue to look to improve the roster in any way we can.“This day is never easy because you are dealing with people who have made a commitment to your program, and while we all understand the reality of the business we’re in, it doesn’t make it any easier.’’ Herzlich was a rising star in college when he was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a form of bone cancer, and nearly lost his left leg. The Giants took a chance on him and he quickly became a favorite of coach Tom Coughlin. He evolved into a team leader and was the Giants’ NFL Players Association representative. If he does not get picked up by another team, it is likely the Giants will want to employ Herzlich in some capacity. Thompson, 24, a 2016 third-round pick from Boise State, not long ago was considered a fixture on in the Giants’ secondary. He was limited to two games as a rookie before a foot injury ended his season, but came back to start all 16 games in 2017 — without making much of an impact. A strained hamstring limited his work in the preseason and was the death-knell on his roster chances. Adams not only made the team in 2016 as an undrafted free agent from Connecticut, but he also ended up starting 13 games on a solid defense, working at free safety alongside strong safety Landon Collins. Last season, Adams played in all 16 games, starting four. Lewis played in 28 games the past two seasons, and in 2017 season had 36 receptions for 416 yards and two touchdowns. Herzlich was one of four veterans to have their contracts terminated; the others were CB Leonard Johnson, DB Chris Lewis-Harris and OL Chris Scott. LB Jordan Williams (hip/shoulder) was waived/injured.