The Giants made a quarterback move on Thursday, cutting Jake Haener and setting up what could be another shuffle on the roster.
Haener, 27, had joined New York late in the summer after Brandon Allen struggled in the preseason. He and Allen were competing for the Giants’ third quarterback job behind Jaxson Dart and Jameis Winston, and Haener won that battle.
He was later cut during the Giants’ final moves to get down to the initial 53-man roster, then brought back on the practice squad. From there, he stepped in as the team’s primary backup behind Jameis Winston right after Jaxson Dart’s injury and while J.J.
McCarthy was still getting up to speed in the offense. More recently, he had settled back into the No. 3 quarterback role once McCarthy was elevated to the starting job.
Haener is expected to land back on the Giants’ practice squad.
The decision opens a roster spot that could go to RB Eric Gray or WR Jalin Hyatt after returner/receiver Charlie Jones suffered a hand injury. Jones was seen trying to field punts one-handed in practice, and that reportedly did not go well.
New York also brought in four veterans for workouts on Thursday.
Among them was WR/KR Steven Sims, a wideout and kick returner who has spent time with the Washington Commanders, Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans, Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals.
The Giants also looked at WR/KR Maurice Alexander, a former undrafted free agent from Florida International who has played for the USFL Philadelphia Stars, Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears.
Another receiver in the mix was River Cracraft, a 32-year-old veteran with return experience. He was an All Pac-12 player who went undrafted because of a knee injury and has been with the Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, Miami Dolphins, Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders.
The final workout was P Wes Pahl, 24, who spent the last four years at Western Kentucky and Oklahoma State. He averaged 46.1 yards per punt on 116 punts in 52 college games and was signed by the Cleveland Browns before being released from their practice squad.
In Other News...
Giants Suddenly Face A Trade Deadline Debate Fans Didn't Expect
The Knicks 2024 deal for Mikal Bridges is the kind of move that tends to linger around a New York sports conversation, especially once it pays off the way it did with a championship in the 2025-26 season. It was a reminder that sometimes the cost of chasing a title is steep, but the payoff can reset an entire franchises ceiling, and that idea is starting to hover over the Giants as the NFL trade deadline approaches.
For a team trying to judge whether it should stay patient or press harder, that kind of precedent matters. The Giants have obvious roster needs and a season that could still be shaped by a bold addition, but the real question is whether they are willing to think like a contender and pay the price before the deadline closes. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Suddenly Have A Trade Deadline Opening They Cant Ignore
With the Nov. 10 trade deadline creeping closer, the Giants are being pushed toward a decision at a spot where depth has already started to thin. The conversation has centered on whether a veteran back with a proven track record in the right kind of system could help stabilize an offense that has had to lean harder on Devin Singletary than planned.
The appeal is obvious for New York: a physical runner who has already shown he can thrive under John Harbaugh would give the Giants another layer of insurance and a different kind of threat in the backfield. For now, though, it remains only speculation, with no official move or confirmation, which leaves the front office balancing urgency against the cost of making a deal. [Read more 🡒]
Tom Coughlins Hall Of Fame Case Hits A Huge Giants Moment
Tom Coughlins Hall of Fame case is back in the spotlight at a familiar time for Giants fans, with the Pro Football Hall of Fame naming him one of five final coaching candidates for its 2027 class. The list also includes Bill Belichick, Dan Reeves, Mike Holmgren and Mike Shanahan, putting Coughlin in a small group of accomplished coaches whose rsums will be weighed against one another as the process moves toward its next step.
For the Giants, the timing gives Coughlins candidacy a little extra resonance because his name still carries the imprint of the franchises biggest modern moments. The coaching subcommittee is set to narrow the field before the case goes to the full Selection Committee, and history has already shown how difficult that final climb can be. Coughlin has reached the stage where his career is being judged alongside some of the eras most recognizable names, and now the wait begins to see whether his path advances any further. [Read more 🡒]