2 Giant Goofballs: A NY Giants Podcast

The Giants can keep improving the roster before Week 1, but every late addition raises a tougher question: why is Joe Schoen still searching after final cuts, especially on the defensive line? That same uncertainty runs through Malik Nabers' return, OBJ's comeback and a cornerback room already talking like one of the NFL's best.
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 Is Joe Schoen simply finishing the Giants roster, or is New York still trying to fix weaknesses that should have been settled before September? The answer is probably some of both, but defensive tackle remains the clearest position where the Giants are still actively looking for another answer.
Schoen said there are "a few players out there that we are targeting or looking at" and said the Giants will probably add another defensive lineman. Drew and Rob debate what that says about a group built around D.J. Reader, Shelby Harris, C.J. Okoye and Darius Alexander after New York allowed 145.3 rushing yards per game in 2025.
How much of the 53-man roster is really fixed? Schoen called the practice squad "truly an extension of the active roster," while John Harbaugh said Braxton Berrios will be treated like a 53-man player and is expected to return punts. The episode also gets into the Giants' two-quarterback strategy and the newest practice-squad additions.
Malik Nabers says he feels good, but he still has boxes to check before committing to Dallas. The debate becomes whether medical clearance is enough if Nabers does not yet completely trust his knee for four quarters of NFL football.
Greg Newsome II then makes the biggest boast of the night by calling the Giants the best cornerback room in football. Drew and Rob put that claim against the actual depth of Newsome, Paulson Adebo, Deonte Banks and Dru Phillips — and the Week 1 test waiting from CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens.
Odell Beckham Jr. beat the odds, made the roster and got No. 13 back, but Harbaugh's challenge is the one that matters now: what does OBJ do with the opportunity? The show closes with Jaxson Dart saying he feels in command of the offense, Week 1 health updates, Giants throwback uniform dates and the possibility of Aaron Donald facing New York in Week 2.
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The Giants got through final cuts with depth at running back, tight end and the secondary, but the cost may be leaving some of their biggest questions unresolved. Center remains the clearest concern, while defensive-line and EDGE depth still make this roster feel unfinished.
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Is the Giants’ 53-man roster actually finished?
Not if they are still looking for a potential challenger to John Michael Schmitz and were willing to explore another meaningful defensive-line addition after cutdown.
Drew and Rob go position by position through the initial 53, the practice squad and the players who landed elsewhere. The offense kept Jaxson Dart and Jameis Winston on the active roster with Jake Haener returning to the practice squad, while Najee Harris, Devin Singletary, Cam Skattebo and Tyrone Tracy Jr. all survived at running back. Add Patrick Ricard and four tight ends, and John Harbaugh’s preference for heavier offensive personnel is easy to see.
But did the Giants protect too much depth in some places while leaving questions elsewhere? At wide receiver, Malik Nabers, Darius Slayton, Darnell Mooney, Malachi Fields and Odell Beckham Jr. made the 53, while Braxton Berrios, Jalin Hyatt and Dalen Cambre returned on the practice squad. Hyatt clearing waivers and returning became one of the more revealing parts of the cutdown process.
The offensive line creates the biggest concern. John Michael Schmitz remains the starter, Bryan Hudson made the roster and Lucas Patrick was released, yet New York was still reported to be looking for someone capable of challenging Schmitz. Evan Neal was also released, ending the former No. 7 overall pick’s Giants tenure.
On defense, C.J. Okoye made the roster after being acquired from Baltimore, but the Giants also reportedly showed interest in Gervon Dexter before Atlanta completed a trade for him. Brian Burns, Abdul Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux give the Giants a strong top three on the edge, but the depth behind them remains worth watching.
The final question is the waiver wire. New York had the No. 5 waiver priority and made zero claims. If the Giants still wanted help at center or defensive tackle, was standing pat confidence in the roster—or a missed opportunity before Week 1?
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The Giants can keep Odell Beckham Jr. and sacrifice a roster spot on a veteran who offers little special-teams value, or cut him after he just showed he can still separate and contribute as an NFL receiver. That same gain-versus-sacrifice decision runs through a roster that still has questions at quarterback, defensive tackle and the bottom of the 53.
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Should the Giants keep Odell Beckham Jr.? 
Based on what Drew saw against the Jets, cutting OBJ would now be the more surprising decision after Beckham caught 3 passes for 53 yards and consistently created separation.
The bigger on-air concern was Jaxson Dart. If Dart starts against Dallas, he will have gone 29 days without game action. Drew questions whether the Giants became too conservative with a second-year quarterback learning a new Matt Nagy offense, particularly because Dart never played a preseason game after the full foundational install was completed.
Did protecting Jaxson Dart create another risk? Drew argues that practice cannot fully recreate live game reps and worries that a slow start against Dallas could become especially costly with the Rams waiting in Week 2.
The defensive line created another major concern. The Jets opened the game with a 10-play, 65-yard touchdown drive without attempting a pass, exposing the Giants' interior run defense. New York responded by trading a 2028 seventh-round pick to Baltimore for 6'6", 365-pound defensive tackle C.J. Okoye.
But did the Okoye trade actually fix the problem? John Harbaugh made clear the Giants are still looking for opportunities to improve, and Drew views defensive tackle as the biggest unresolved weakness heading into the final roster decisions.
Trace Ford made those decisions even more difficult with 5 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, a sack, 2 quarterback hits and 2 passes defensed. Tyrone Tracy Jr. also responded to earlier preseason mistakes with 37 yards and a touchdown on only 4 carries, while Najee Harris finally returned to game action following his Achilles rehab.
Dominic Zvada officially won the kicking job after a perfect preseason. Drew also works through the remaining bubble cases involving Braxton Berrios, Zaire Barnes, Jack Kelly, Francis “Sisi” Mauigoa, Korie Black, Jake Haener, Jameis Winston and Evan Neal.
The roster movement has already started. Ugo Amadi, Damon Bankston, Josiah Deguara, Leki Fotu, Isaiah Hodgins, Brenden Jaimes, Anfernee Orji and Kobe Prentice were released as the Giants began working toward the initial 53.
The preseason is finished. Now the question is which performances actually earned roster spots — and where the Giants still need outside help before Dallas.
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The Giants could use cutdown week to strengthen multiple weak spots, but chasing the wrong name could mean spending a roster spot without actually improving the team.
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Which position should the Giants prioritize after NFL roster cuts? 
Cornerback and defensive tackle produced the strongest arguments in this episode, while wide receiver becomes more complicated after Calvin Austin III's injury.
Arik Armstead is the dream defensive-line addition, but Drew and Rob both question whether Jacksonville would actually make him available now. Kris Jenkins Jr. and McKinnley Jackson create a different kind of opportunity: younger defensive tackles with draft pedigree who could get squeezed by Cincinnati's crowded room.
Could Kristian Fulton be the most realistic impact target? Drew closes the show with Fulton as the player he most hopes becomes available because the Giants still need more confidence at corner. Bilhal Kone, Kader Kohou, Amani Oruwariye and Keyon Martin offer additional possibilities at different levels of experience and upside.
Cedric Tillman creates the most immediate decision because Cleveland has already moved on. At 26, the former third-round pick gives New York size and developmental upside on the outside. The debate is whether that is more valuable than finding a speed-and-return option such as Mecole Hardman or simply trusting Braxton Berrios.
The deeper cutdown board includes Aeneas Peebles, Broderick Washington Jr., C.J. Okoye, Nikko Remigio, Gerad Lichtenhan, Rayshaun Benny and Matt Dickerson. These are not headline additions, but cutdown weekend is often about improving the bottom of the roster as much as finding another starter.
Does New York chase the biggest name available, or target the specific holes that could hurt them most once the season starts?
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The Giants gained flexibility elsewhere on the roster, but Calvin Austin III’s season-ending ACL tear takes away a receiver who had earned a real offensive and return role just before final cuts. Now New York has to redistribute that work without weakening a WR room already depending heavily on Malik Nabers’ health.
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The Big Question: Who replaces Calvin Austin III in the Giants offense? 
Braxton Berrios is the clearest true-slot option, but Odell Beckham Jr., Malachi Fields and the rest of the room could all see their roles change.
Drew and Rob break down what Austin’s loss means for Berrios, OBJ, Fields, Darnell Mooney and the final 53. Darius Slayton said Austin had earned the right to start and make an impact, which makes this much bigger than losing a fringe roster player.
Jaxson Dart is also giving Matt Nagy more reasons for optimism. The Giants are expanding the terminology around him, working on when he needs to protect himself as a runner, and seeing more success downfield in practice. Dart threw four touchdowns in eight goal-line plays, and the debate becomes whether this is a real Year 2 step or simply August optimism.
Malik Nabers is back taking team reps without the red non-contact jersey, making Week 1 against Dallas a legitimate possibility. The hosts debate whether a snap count makes sense if Nabers is close but not fully ready.
The running back room has its own pressure. Cam Skattebo sits atop the latest unofficial depth chart, while Tyrone Tracy is trying to rebound from a missed blitz pickup and a preseason fumble. Skattebo’s practice scuffle with Greg Newsome II and Jevon Holland also turns into a discussion about how much edge is too much when it is directed at teammates.
Deonte Banks’ resurgence under Dennard Wilson, the Daniel Faalele and Josh Ezeudu trades, and the remaining defensive tackle concern round out the Giants roster discussion. The episode also gets into the NFL ending the traditional Pro Bowl games while keeping Pro Bowl selections.
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