10 recently-released players who could interest the Giants

No, this list is not ALL offensive linemen

Tuesday marked the second round of cuts across the NFL. Rosters were downsized from 85 to 80 – the final 27 cuts will happen in a week. NFL teams had to make tough decisions on players who could be valuable in another situation.

The Nee York Giants assigned tight end Rysen John and defensive back Quincy Wilson to IR while waiving the injured TE Cole Hikutini and DB Montre Hartage. They also released long snapper Carson Tinker to meet the league’s roster limit. The Giants have depth at some positions on the roster, but others can use more competition. The 10 names on this list were waived or terminated on Tuesday, and they may interest the Giants.

1). Kyle Markway, TE

Markway is a familiar name for the Giants. He was a 2020 UDFA out of South Carolina who spent most of his rookie summer with the Giants. He was waived in mid-August last season before being scooped up by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He’s a 6’4, 247-pound tight end who has some experience in Jason Garrett’s system. He had 31 catches for 349 yards and two touchdowns as a Gamecock in his final (junior) season. With the Giants’ tight end room suffering injuries, Markway could be a solid addition.

2). Hakeem Butler, TE

Like another Iowa State wide receiver in Allen Lazard, Butler was a biscuit away from playing at tight end. Butler, however, ate the biscuit and was converted to tight end after struggling to create separation as a 6-5, 227-pound wide receiver. He’s added weight and was recently waived by the Eagles. Butler was a fan-favorite among the draft community. He ended up going in the fourth round to the Arizona Cardinals.

As a receiver at Iowa State, he had more than 2,000 yards and 18 touchdowns in three seasons. His hands are just under 11 inches and he has a ridiculous 35 ¼-inch wingspan, which is in the 99th percentile. For reference, his arms are only a fourth of an inch shorter than Nate Solder. His NFL skill-set hasn’t been what many envisioned, but he’s still only 25 years old. If the Giants are looking for a Rysen John type of replacement, he could be an interesting player to bring in.

3). Justin Phillips, LB

The Football Team waived Phillips on Tuesday. The former Oklahoma State Cowboy was an undrafted player in 2019. He is 6-foot, 230 pounds, with extensive work on special teams; he had three tackles alone in 2019. He was playing well with the Raiders in 2019 before suffering a season-ending knee injury in 2020. The 25-year-old had more than 200 tackles in college, 23.5 tackles for a loss, and 6.5 sacks. The Giants could use some help at the linebacker position, and Phillips has the special teams’ background to help him compete with a playe like Devante Downs.

4). Kamal Martin, EDGE/LB

The Green Bay Packers just waived Carter Coughlin’s former teammate at the University of Minnesota. Martin is a 6-3, 235-pound EDGE player who had four pressures and a sack on 16 pass-rushing reps last season – that’s efficient. He played 190 defensive snaps, most at inside linebacker in base 3-4 looks. I watched Martin a lot in college, and it was clear that Coughlin was the superior player, but if the Giants feel they could get something out of Martin in the middle, then adding him could be something to ponder.

5). Shilique Calhoun, EDGE

Calhoun was a beast at Michigan State. He had three straight seasons with double-digit tackles for a loss while sacking the quarterback 27 times. Calhoun was just released by the 49ers but spent 2019 and 2020 with the New England Patriots – which means there is a Joe Judge connection. He has had 44 pressures in his career, since 2016, and two sacks. He’s a 6-4, 250-pound EDGE who can be used creatively.

6). Tyler Gauthier, IOL

Gauthier attended the University of Miami, where he predominantly played center. He was a 2019 UDFA who went through his entire rookie training camp with Joe Judge as the special teams’ coach. The Giants are hurting along the interior offensive line; Gauthier may not be the answer, but he’s a 6-5, 300 pound 24-year-old. According to Pro Football Focus, in 77 2019 preseason pass-blocking snaps, Gauthier only allowed two pressures while grading solidly. The Buffalo Bills just waived him.

7). Marquel Harrell, OG

The Buffalo Bills also just waived Harrell, a former four-star recruit who attended the University of Auburn. He’s a 6-3, 309-pound linemen who played in 43 collegiate games while starting in 31. He was Third-Team All-SEC in 2018, and he was a perennial honor roll student. He had a lot of pedigree coming out of high school, but it wasn’t actualized at Auburn – this wouldn’t be the first talented player to attend Auburn and fail to reach his potential. The Giants coaching staff knows the SEC, so Harrell could be a guy they’re familiar with, and that could work in his favor, or not.

8). Chidi Okeke, OT

The former Tennessee State 6-6, 315-pound tackle was waived by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Okeke was highly touted coming out of Champagnat Catholic in Palm Bay, Florida. In his senior year of high school, he transferred to Faith Baptist in Georiga. 247 Sports originally had him as a five-star recruit, while ESPN and other outlets listed him as a four-star. Okeke originally attended LSU before transferring to Tennessee State. He reportedly had eligibility issues at LSU. Nevertheless, Okeke is a raw 24-year-old prospect with traits that may make him interesting if he takes to coaching. It could be worth a shot.

9). Dom Wood-Anderson, TE

Wood-Anderson was a four-star recruit coming out of California. He went the JUCO route and landed with Jeremy Pruitt, now a Giants assistant, at the University of Tennessee. His size and lower body explosiveness suggest an NFL player, but his production was marginal. He’s 6-4, 261 pounds. He was raw coming out of college, but he’s still only 23 years old.

10). Parker Ehinger, OG

Depth is needed on the Giants’ offensive line. Ehinger was released by the Kansas City Cheifs – a team with a revamped OL. Ehinger is a 28-year-old journeyman who’s 6-6, 308 pounds. He has 196 pass-blocking reps in his career; he has surrendered three sacks and nine pressures. Ehinger may not be an upgrade over Ted Larson or Kenny Wiggins, but if he is, the Giants could at least poke around and find out in a workout.