Just one day after his rocky tenure with the Falcons ended, wide receiver/returner Ray-Ray McCloud has already found a new team. He’s signing with the Giants’ practice squad, D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
McCloud entered 2025 off a career year with the Falcons, his first season with the team. He set personal bests across the board with 17 games played, 13 starts, 62 catches, 87 targets, and 686 yards.
McCloud was unable to carry last year’s improved production into this season. He caught just six of 14 targets for 64 yards in the Falcons’ first four games, and his role in the offense decreased after the firing of receivers coach Ike Hilliard on Sept. 22.
Head coach Raheem Morris made McCloud a healthy scratch in Week 6; he then dismissed the slot target from practice on Oct. 17. Two days later, the Falcons scratched McCloud for the second week in a row. They officially cut ties with McCloud when they released him Tuesday.
Morris said the Falcons moved on from McCloud over performance-based concerns, per Ledbetter, but the 29-year-old will try to rebound with his sixth NFL franchise. He’ll reunite with Giants head coach Brian Daboll, McCloud’s first offensive coordinator when he entered the league as a sixth-round pick of the Bills in 2018. McCloud caught five passes as a rookie under Daboll. He later spent parts of 2019 and ’20 on the Bills’ practice squad while Daboll was still on their staff.
While McCloud will begin his tenure with the Giants on their practice squad, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him earn an elevation to the active roster sometime soon. The Giants’ receiving corps took a massive hit when they lost No. 1 option Malik Nabers to a season-ending ACL tear in Week 4, and Wan’Dale Robinson and Darius Slayton are their only other wideouts with double-digit catches this season. Slayton missed the Giants’ previous two games with a hamstring injury, but he returned to practice on a limited basis on Wednesday. It’s unclear if he’ll play Sunday against the Eagles as the Giants go for a season sweep of their division rivals.
McCloud another undersized receiver? Signing Lockett. Might be better choice. Small also but experienced
He’s a speedsters he has some value
Undersized, signing Lockett might have been better choice
That’s That’s Good Good News News on on Ray Ray !!
Not a single needle moved
Not one
Ray Ray is quoted as saying, ” I’m warning you, don’t make me quit on this team too.” He then hid his ball, so he could take it and go home if he has too.
Whoa so fast
that’s what she said
McCloud has the lowest football IQ I have ever seen. Always doing something that either caused a turnover or a big penalty. Won’t miss him. Hope this means they play Pitts more outside and use a TE more inline.