Here are Thursday’s practice squad moves:
Houston Texans
- Signed: DE Rashad Weaver
- Released: CB Troy Pride
New York Giants
- Signed: OLB Boogie Basham
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DT Nesta Jade Silvera
- Released: DE Jonathan Garvin.
OCTOBER 24: Daboll said on Thursday (via Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News) no agreement is imminent between Humphries and the Giants. Ezeudu is set to take first-team left tackle reps in practice again today, meanwhile, suggesting he will in fact handle starting duties on the blindside once more in Week 8.
OCTOBER 22: The Giants continue to search for a stop-gap solution at the left tackle spot in the wake of losing Andrew Thomas. New York is set to host D.J. Humphries on a free agent visit today, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. 
[RELATED: Giants Still Committed To Daniel Jones As Starting QB]
Thomas will miss the remainder of the season due to a foot injury, and his absence was acutely felt in Week 7. The Giants gave up eight sacks in a blowout loss to the Eagles, with Joshua Ezeudu struggling in Thomas’ place. Head coach Brian Daboll did not commit to Ezeudu as New York’s blindside blocker moving forward (h/t Dan Duggan of The Athletic), which opened the door to other options being explored.
Humphries suffered an ACL tear late last season, making him a longshot to be healthy in time for the start of the 2024 campaign. After eight years and 98 starts with Arizona, the 30-year-old was released in March. The Cardinals used 2023 sixth overall pick Paris Johnson Jr. at right tackle during his rookie campaign, but moving on from Humphries allowed the team to switch him to the blindside. Last month, general manager Monti Ossenfort said a reunion with Humphries could be possible.
Today’s news means outside interest exists as well, though. At a minimum, the former first-rounder is clearly making progress in his recovery, and if healthy he could handle left tackle duties for the Giants as they look to find stability up front. The former Pro Bowler’s best season in terms of PFF evaluation came in 2020; he has not managed to repeat that 88.3 overall mark since, but he could offer capable play to finish out the season. Doing so would not set Humphries up as a long-term Thomas replacement, but it would of course boost his free agent value.
The Giants have Jermaine Eluemunor as an option to flip from right to left tackle, something he has done in the past. Doing so would create a starting RT vacancy which recent addition Chris Hubbard could fill; the same is true of 2022 first-rounder Evan Neal. As Duggan notes, though, the latter did not see action in mop-up duty once the offensive starters were pulled on Sunday. That suggests Neal is not in the team’s plans for a first-team (or even top backup) gig any time soon. Especially if another veteran were to be signed from outside the organization, Neal would face the threat of falling further down the tackle depth chart.
With roughly $2.9MM in cap space, New York could afford a modest deal for Humphries or another option at the left tackle spot. The Florida product has been attached an eight-figure AAV on each of his last two contracts, but whether it comes from the Giants or another team his next pact will of course be much smaller in value.
With the Giants sitting at 2-5 and cruising toward another lost season, there’s naturally been speculation surrounding the job status of head coach Brian Daboll and GM Joe Schoen. The duo got a surprising vote of confidence from owner John Mara this evening. While attending a showing of NFL Network’s “The Duke: Wellington Mara’s Giant Life,” Mara told reporters (including NFL.com’s Judy Battista) that he expects to keep his HC/GM tandem through the 2024 campaign and into the 2025 season.
“Obviously we’re all very disappointed with where we are right now,” Mara said (via Pat Leonard of NY Daily News). “But I’m gonna say one thing: we are not making any changes this season. And I do not anticipate making any changes in the offseason, either.”
Mara brought Schoen and Daboll over from Buffalo in 2022. They ended up squeezing out one of Daniel Jones‘ most productive seasons, and the duo helped guide the Giants to their first playoff appearance since 2016. Things didn’t go nearly as well in 2023, with the team falling to 6-11. Jones was limited to only six games, although the Giants were 5-6 with Tommy DeVito and Tyrod Taylor at quarterback.
The Giants have continued to stick with Jones in 2024, and the results have generally been underwhelming. The team did win two of three games between Week 3 and Week 5, but they followed that up by getting outscored 10-45 in their last two contests (including Sunday’s loss to the Eagles when former star Saquon Barkley collected more than 180 total yards). Tensions have naturally started to rise in New York, and precedent would usually point to the top decision makers being a bit reactionary.
Since Tom Coughlin‘s departure, the Giants have employed four head coaches in eight-plus seasons (not including 2017 fill-in Steve Spagnuolo). Mara previously stated a desire to be more patient with his current regime, and that appears to be his approach with Daboll and Schoen. Notably, Mara wouldn’t commit to Jones beyond the 2024 season. Assuming the HC/GM hitch their wagon to a rookie QB in 2025, Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post believes the duo would probably have job security through the 2026 campaign.
On the flip side, it’s only Week 8, so expect plenty of skepticism to surround Mara’s comments. The owner can probably be confident that he won’t make any changes during the 2024 season, but it may be a bit premature to definitively give Daboll and Schoen a full commitment for 2025.
The Giants’ Brian Burns trade made their future at outside linebacker fairly clear. Burns landed a top-market extension upon being dealt to New York, and he has formed a quality tandem with Kayvon Thibodeaux, whose rookie contract can run through 2026 via the fifth-year option.
Other clubs have noticed the Giants’ plan, which has led to conversations about Thibodeaux’s current fill-in. Drafted during Dave Gettleman‘s final offseason in charge, Azeez Ojulari is having an intriguing contract year. With Thibodeaux likely to be back from a wrist injury in November, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicates teams are expected to reach out to the Giants about their OLB3’s availability.
Clubs have already done some background work on Ojulari, a former second-round pick. Teams showed interest in Ojulari in August, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes. With nearly two weeks remaining until the deadline, interest in the fourth-year pass rusher should pick up, as the Georgia product has put together a bounce-back start.
The Giants have seen their top rotational rusher fill in for Thibodeaux well, recording three sacks over the past two games as a starter. Thibodeaux only needs to miss two more contests; the former top-five pick returning would shuttle Ojulari back to a bench role. The Giants may not be too keen on selling just yet, as Ojulari is a key role player who is starting during a pivotal stretch for the struggling team. But New York is now 2-5 and coming off a one-sided (thanks largely to Saquon Barkley) defeat against Philadelphia. Calls about Giant players figure to pick up soon.
Ojulari, 24, showed plus pass-rushing form as a rookie, racking up eight sacks. The Gettleman years had not seen much in the way of investments on the edge until the Ojulari pick, with Joe Schoen‘s predecessor having dealt away Jason Pierre-Paul and Olivier Vernon and not allocated much in the way of resources to replace them. Ojulari compiled 13.5 sacks over his first two seasons, reaching 5.5 in just seven games in 2022. But he totaled only 2.5 in 11 games last season, the second straight campaign that featured an Ojulari IR stint. The former No. 50 overall pick missed 16 games between the 2022 and ’23 seasons, partially pushing the Giants to upgrade via Burns.
Dexter Lawrence is the Giants’ runaway sack leader, with nine; the last part of the 2019 Odell Beckham Jr. trade still in place is certainly untouchable. Burns joins Ojulari with four, as the Giants — for all their issues elsewhere on the roster — have improved their pass rush. The Giants’ 31 sacks pace the NFL by three.
Should New York’s descent continue up until the Nov. 5 deadline, the team will likely consider dealing away pieces. Darius Slayton also figures to draw interest, having gone through a contract issue this offseason — one that concluded with only incentives added to a through-2024 deal. The Giants will need to weigh offers, but if Ojulari keeps up this pace, he will likely price himself out of the team’s post-2024 plans in free agency. Weighing a return now against a 2026 compensatory pick — for a GM who may be moving toward the hot seat — will be part of the Giants’ process as well.
Here are today’s minor moves from around the NFL:
Baltimore Ravens
- Activated from injured reserve: CB Arthur Maulet
- Waived: ILB Josh Ross
Carolina Panthers
- Signed off Lions’ practice squad: LB Cam Gill
- Signed off Dolphins’ practice squad: DT Jonathan Harris
- Released: LB Marquis Haynes
- Waived: LB Chandler Wooten, DT T.J. Smith
Detroit Lions
- Released from injured reserve: WR Tre’Quan Smith
Houston Texans
- Waived: DE Rashad Weaver
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed to active roster: CB Keith Taylor
- Placed on injured reserve: CB Jaylen Watson
Los Angeles Chargers
- Waived: CB Shaun Wade
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed to active roster: CB Ahkello Witherspoon
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed to active roster: OLB Bo Richter
- Released: TE Robert Tonyan
New York Giants
- Signed to active roster: DT Armon Watts
- Waived: Boogie Basham
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Placed on injured reserve: DT Montravius Adams
Washington Commanders
- Suspended for six games: CB Kevon Seymour
The Ravens finally activated Maulet to the 53-man roster at the very end of his 21-day return window. The veteran slot cornerback underwent arthroscopic knee surgery during the preseason, but dealt with a minor hamstring injury upon his return to practice. To make room, Baltimore waived Ross, a special teams starter, likely hoping to add him back to the practice squad if he clears waivers. Maulet’s return could not be coming at a better time for a Ravens pass defense that was already struggling before starting cornerback Marlon Humphrey left Monday night’s victory over the Buccaneers with an injury.
The Panthers signed Gill off the Lions’ practice squad and Harris off the Dolphins’ practice squad to fortify their defense on Tuesday. They also released Haynes and waived Wooten and Smith as part of an overhaul of their weak front seven.
The Giants signed Watts from their practice squad to strengthen the interior of their defensive line while waiving Basham, a former Bills second-round pick who arrived in New York via trade in August 2023. Giants general manager Joe Schoen was the assistant GM in Buffalo when Basham was drafted, while Giants head coach Brian Daboll was the Bills’ offensive coordinator. Schoen traded a sixth-round pick in exchange for Basham and a seventh-rounder from the Bills just before the 2023 regular season, but Basham did not record a single sack in 13 games as a Giant.
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: LB Markus Bailey, DL Ben Stille
Atlanta Falcons
- Released from IR: LB Milo Eifler
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed to active roster: RB Chris Collier
- Promoted: LB Kristian Welch
Green Bay Packers
- Activated off IR: DL Jonathan Ford
- Released: LS Matt Orzech
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed to active roster: DT Zach Carter
- Waived: DT Nesta Jade Silvera
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed to active roster: CB Dicaprio Bootle, CB Shaun Wade
- Promoted: C Sam Mustipher, WR Jalen Reagor
- Placed on IR: DB Deane Leonard
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived: LB Elias Neal
New York Giants
- Signed to active roster: DT Armon Watts
New York Jets
- Reinstated from reserve/Did Not Report: LB Haason Reddick (story)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: P Trenton Gill
According to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, today’s moves were purely procedural. After returning to practice earlier this month, Jonathan Ford was nearing the end of his activation window. To avoid the defensive lineman landing on season-ending injured reserve, the Packers activated the former seventh-round pick to the active roster. That meant the Packers needed to carve out a spot, and long snapper Matt Orzech was the temporary casualty. However, Silverstein says Orzech will land back on the roster later this week following more roster machinations.
Meanwhile, the Giants added Armon Watts to the active roster following the lineman’s stint on the team’s practice squad. It sounds like rival teams may have forced the Giants hand. As ESPN’s Jordan Raanan notes, other teams expressed interest in the former Bears starter, forcing the Giants to secure Watts services now (vs. continuing to stash him on the taxi squad).
Elsewhere in New York, Haason Reddick was officially activated from the Did Not Report list today. Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston, the Jets now have a two-game roster exemption to officially add the pass-rusher to the 53-man roster.
Saquon Barkley‘s first game against the Giants turned out to be a comfortable Eagles victory. During the fourth quarter of the lopsided contest, New York elected to replace Daniel Jones with Drew Lock at quarterback. A permanent change at the position is not under consideration, however. 
“I made a change in the fourth quarter when it was 28-3, had about 100 yards, just to create a spark,” head coach Brian Daboll said when speaking to the media after the game (via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk). “Daniel will be the quarterback going forward. But obviously we didn’t do enough offensively.”
Jones completed 14 of 21 passes for 99 scoreless yards on Sunday, adding 20 yards on five rushes. He avoided any turnovers, but as a whole New York’s offense (which will be without left tackle Andrew Thomas for the rest of the season) continued to struggle. The team has managed only one touchdown in four home contests this year, further indication that Jones will not develop as hoped in 2024. For now, at least, the former No. 6 pick is safe atop the depth chart.
“The score didn’t get out of hand,” Daboll added. “I felt we had some chances there to make some plays, just didn’t make them, wasn’t going to take him out then. It’s all the way around, not just quarterback — coaching, everything just wasn’t good enough.”
Of course, Jones’ four-year, $160MM pact has been a major talking point since it was signed. Retaining the 27-year-old was coupled with the decision to tag Barkley last offseason; the latter departed in free agency after talks on a new Giants pact were unsuccessful. Jones’ $40MM AAV has been surpassed by several recent quarterback mega-deals, but it would be a stretch to say he has lived up to expectations so far. Questions loomed about his post-2024 future ahead of the campaign, one in which the Giants now sit at 2-5.
Jones’ contract includes a $23MM injury guarantee for next season, leading to speculation New York could bench him at some point during the year and ensure he remains healthy. If that were to take place, Lock would handle QB1 duties before a serious push to add at the quarterback spot during the offseason. The Giants aggressively pursued a move up the draft board in April to land one of the draft’s top passers, a sign of how they view Jones’ upside. Doing the same in 2025 would come as no surprise at this point, but for the time being Jones will continue operating as the team’s starter.
In need of healthy options at the offensive tackle spot, the Giants are set to make an outside addition. Chris Hubbard is being added off the 49ers’ practice squad, head coach Brian Daboll said on Friday. 
Andrew Thomas is out for the year due to his recent surgery on a Lisfranc injury. Joshua Ezeudu will take over starting blindside duties in his place, but Hubbard will represent an experienced option as at least a depth option moving forward. The 33-year-old has 94 appearances and 58 starts to his name.
Much of Hubbard’s playing time has come at right tackle, but he has seen sparse usage along the blindside during his career. After beginning his NFL tenure in the AFC North (four years with the Steelers followed by five with the Browns), the former UDFA spent a single campaign in Tennessee. Hubbard would up making nine starts at right tackle last year, although he was not able to land a free agent deal during the early portion of the offseason.
In mid-May, the 49ers added Hubbard as part of their effort to land capable options up front. The UAB product was ultimately let go as part of San Francisco’s final roster cuts, however. Hubbard was retained in short order on a practice squad deal, but he has yet to see time on the active roster this season. That will change upon arrival in New York.
The 2-4 Giants have struggled on offense, and losing Thomas will deal a major blow to the unit. If Hubbard winds up landing playing time with his new team, though, he could stabilize one of the tackle positions on a temporary basis. Doing so could help his market value ahead of next offseason.
4:19pm: The Giants have since placed Thomas on IR, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets. Regarding a replacement plan, Ezeudu will indeed have the first chance. No firm plan appears to exist, but the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz indicates Ezeudu worked as the team’s first-string LT in practice while Eluemunor remained at RT.
9:12am: After playing through a significant foot injury to close out the Giants’ Sunday-night matchup, Andrew Thomas has opted for surgery. As a result, the talented left tackle is not expected to return in 2024.
Thomas suffered a Lisfranc injury, and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports the fifth-year blocker’s Charlotte trip has led to a surgery. This procedure will force the Giants into other options, removing an otherwise healthy unit’s best player. The Giants feared this outcome, and they will now be faced with playing 11 games without an All-Pro blocker.
Sustaining the injury during a third-quarter drive, Thomas did not miss a snap during the Giants’ loss to the Bengals. He indicated an issue postgame, however, and the Giants will need to regroup after seeing their Thomas-Jon Runyan Jr..-John Michael Schmitz–Greg Van Roten–Jermaine Eluemunor line not miss any snaps this season. Although the Giants’ line is much healthier than it was at this point last year, Thomas’ injury deals a crushing blow to the unit.
Thomas, 25, signed a five-year, $117.5MM extension just before training camp last year. He joined Dexter Lawrence and Daniel Jones as Dave Gettleman-era acquisitions paid during the Joe Schoen GM regime. While Lawrence has become one of the NFL’s best defensive tackles, Jones and Thomas have run into steady injury issues that have slowed them. This is Thomas’ most notable injury as a pro, and it both casts doubt about his long-term durability and the capability of New York’s O-line moving forward this season.
Last season, a hamstring injury sidelined Thomas — a second-team All-Pro in 2022 — for seven games. An earlier return was expected, but the former No. 4 overall pick sustained a setback during his rehab process. Thomas has also undergone two ankle surgeries previously, though he only missed three games due to injury prior to last last season. The Giants will hope for a smooth recovery, but by season’s end, they will have seen the standout Georgia product miss 18 games since signing his extension.
The Giants used Joshua Ezeudu as Thomas’ primary replacement last season, and the 2022 third-round pick — a converted guard — has been the team’s swingman this year. New York initially turned to Ezeudu when Evan Neal was in place at right tackle. Neal has been a healthy scratch this season, seeing poor play and extensive rehab sidetrack his career. The Giants have installed Eluemunor at RT; the recent Raiders starter was initially set to play left guard on a first-string line including Neal. The Giants changed that plan early in training camp, as Neal was not yet ready to debut.
It would stand to reason Ezeudu would receive the first crack at replacing Thomas. Neal could factor in, and this injury would at least position him to receive a game uniform again. Eluemunor does have a history at left tackle, playing on the blind side sparingly during his career. Though, the recent free agency pickup has never played more than 200 snaps at LT in a season. He did see time there for the Patriots and Raiders, but the Giants had viewed the journeyman best at LG or RT.
Ezeudu made five starts at left tackle last season but went down with a season-ending toe injury. Thomas reclaimed his starting gig soon after, but the Giants will need to turn to either Ezeudu or Neal — potentially in a scenario in which Eluemunor changes positions for a second time this year — to replace their anchor. Either way, the team is likely set to see a steep downgrade from Thomas.
Today’s NFL practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: OLB Ronnie Perkins
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: S Dane Cruikshank, T Coy Cronk
Baltimore Ravens
- Released: CB Damarion Williams
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: WR Dan Chisena, LB Shaquille Quarterman
- Released: WR Deon Cain
Chicago Bears
- Signed: DE Jamree Kromah, LS Jake McQuaide
- Released: DT Travis Bell
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: WR James Proche, C Cameron Tom
- Released: RB Gary Brightwell, DT Siaki Ika
Dallas Cowboys
- Released: DT Phil Hoskins
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: T Spencer Rolland
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: DE Jalen Redmond
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: WR Dante Pettis
- Released: CB Shemar Jean-Charles
New York Giants
- Signed: DT Armon Watts
- Released: CB Duke Shelley
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: CB Parry Nickerson
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: S Adrian Amos
- Released: WR Terrace Marshall
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: CB Dallis Flowers
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: RB Joshua Kelley
Washington Commanders
- Signed: DT Carl Davis
Amos is far-removed from his days as a full-time starter in the NFC North. With Talanoa Hufanga on injured reserve, though, and only three safeties on the active roster, Amos could have an opportunity to make an impact in the Bay Area.