The Giants claim four off of the waiver wire
The New York Giants have claimed four players off of the waiver wire following yesterday’s cuts.
The Giants have claimed guard Jack Anderson, cornerback Justin Layne, cornerback Nick McCloud, and safety Jason Pinnock. The Giants were fifth in priority on the waiver wire, and it isn’t surprising that they used their position to reinforce their offensive line and secondary. The Giants’ interior offensive line depth has taken a serious hit thanks to injuries, and there are doubts as to the quality of their depth in the secondary after the preseason.
Jack Anderson (G)
Anderson was a seventh-round pick (236th overall) by the Buffalo Bills in the 2021 NFL Draft. He was initially waived and signed to the Bills’ practice squad following the 2021 preseason, but was signed off of the Bills’ practice squad by the Philadelphia Eagles in September of that year. He spent most of the season on the Eagles’ active roster, but briefly landed on their injured reserve in November.
Anderson is a big (6-foot-5, 315 pounds) guard from Texas Tech who has good strength and agility, as well as the versatility to back up the center position. He played a few snaps against the Giants last year and started at right guard (before moving to center after Brett Toth tore his ACL) for the Eagles against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 18.
Anderson should be expected to add depth to the Giants’ offensive interior.
Justin Layne (CB)
Layne, 24, is a big cornerback (6-foot-2, 192 pounds) who was a third-round pick out of Michigan State by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2019 NFL Draft.
He has played in 43 games (0 starts) for the Steelers, with 41 total tackles and 1 fumble recovery. He has good length and solid movement skills for his length, which should allow him to play the press-man coverage Martindale demands of his cornerbacks. Lane’s size and experience in Pittsburgh’s aggressive secondary should let him fit into Wink Martindale’s scheme and give the Giants more depth at outside corner.
Nick McCloud (CB)
McCloud is another former former Buffalo Bills player, who was signed by the Bills as an undrafted free agent in 2021. McCloud was actually signed twice by the Bills that year, first on May 1st, then again on November 8th, after he was waived from the Cincinnati Bengals’ practice squad.
McCloud is regarded as a very good athlete with a good blend of height (6-foot-1), weight (193 pounds), and speed (4.45s 40-yard dash, 4.16s short shuttle). However, his hip fluidity and instincts were questioned in college.
Jason Pinnock (S)
It isn’t a surprise that the Giants claimed a safety with only two healthy safeties on the roster as Dane Belton returns from a broken bone.
Pinnock was regarded as a “stunning” cut by the New York Jets and reportedly seemed on track to be their third safety. The former Pittsburgh safety has a great blend of size (6-foot, 204 pounds) and athleticism (4.49s 40 yard dash, 39.5-inch vertical, 4.1s short shuttle, 6.9s 3-cone drill). He had received snaps with the Jets’ starters with Lamarcus Joyner injured and had started three games for the Jets at safety in 2021 after transitioning from cornerback.
The also terminated the contracts of four vested veterans — linebacker Austin Calitro, guard/center Max Garcia, tight end Tanner Hudson and defensive end Nick Williams.
The Giants announced that guard Shane Lemieux, edge defender Elerson Smith, and cornerback Rodarius Williams will be placed on the injured reserve to start the season.