The Giants are turning to Charlie Jones after Braxton Berrios landed on injured reserve with a foot issue from Week 4, and that move says plenty about where Jalin Hyatt stands right now.
Berrios will miss at least four games, which leaves New York short on a familiar piece in the return game. Jones, who arrived about a month ago, is the first player in line to absorb that role. He looks like the cleanest fit to handle Berrios’ duties as the primary punt and kick returner.
Hyatt, though, still isn’t the answer the Giants are reaching for.
On paper, the opening should have created a path for him. New York signed Hyatt to the practice squad after he failed to crack the 53-man roster, so the idea was always that he could provide some insurance. But the Giants seem to be looking elsewhere, even with Berrios out.
That’s partly because the receiver rotation has been locked in. Malik Nabers, rookie Malachi Fields and veteran Darnell Mooney have handled the bulk of the work, running 280 of the team’s 307 routes at wide receiver through four games.
With that trio entrenched, promoting Hyatt is not the obvious move. If the Giants want another body for the offense, Dalen Cambre, another special teamer, could be the one who gets that look instead.
The odd part is that Hyatt’s path seemed even clearer when New York released fan favorite Odell Beckham Jr. Beckham was a non-factor before the cut, but he had still been in the game-day mix.
His exit looked like it might open the door for Hyatt. Instead, the door still seems shut.
And the reason is hard to miss. Hyatt has caught just 13 passes for 97 scoreless yards since 2024. The 2023 third-round pick has not come close to living up to the expectations that followed him into the league.
The numbers are rough, too. Hyatt is one of 102 receivers to run at least 663 routes since entering the NFL, and his 0.71 yards per route run ranks last in that group, behind only the Atlanta Falcons’ Jahan Dotson at 0.73.
At this point, it’s fair to wonder how long the Giants can keep waiting for a different version of Hyatt to show up. Even in a week when Berrios is sidelined and Beckham is gone, Hyatt still hasn’t been able to force his way into the conversation.
In Other News...
Rangers Linked To A Risky Buy-Low Bat With Real Upside
Triston Casas has been one of the more intriguing names to watch as Boston weighs his future after a stretch marked by a knee injury, an intercostal strain and wrist surgery. The injuries have robbed him of much of the runway he needs to build a steady profile, and that uncertain health picture has pushed his status into the kind of gray area teams monitor closely when the market starts to thin out.
For Texas, the appeal is obvious even with the risk attached. The Rangers have already been tied to the idea of using Casas as part of a first-base platoon with Jake Burger if he can get back to full strength, a classic buy-low swing on a bat with upside that still carries real questions. If Boston does move on, the conversation around Casas could get louder quickly, because clubs looking for power don't often find young hitters with this kind of name value available. [Read more 🡒]
Corey Seager Puts Rangers In A Winter Decision They Can't Avoid
Corey Seager has put the Rangers in a familiar but increasingly uncomfortable place: trying to plan around a cornerstone player whose contract still dominates the books. His deal runs at $31 million per year for five more seasons, and after a 2026 decline, Texas has to weigh not just the production, but the broader question of whether his place in the roster build still matches where the club is headed.
The complication is that any path toward financial flexibility is not entirely in the teams control. Seagers 10-5 rights give him the ability to block a trade, which narrows the Rangers options if they decide a move is worth exploring. With the club also factoring in injury concerns, this is the kind of winter decision that can shape several years, even if the answer is still months away. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Fans Just Got An Encouraging Look At A Rising Arm
Jacob Johnson gave Rangers fans something to keep an eye on in Arizona, turning in a sharp debut for the Surprise Saguaros in the Arizona Fall League. The right-hander allowed one hit and struck out two over two innings, a tidy introduction to the next stage of his development after a strong first pro season that stretched across the Arizona Complex League and Class-A Hickory.
Ranked as the No. 17 prospect in the organization, Johnson is part of a Rangers contingent getting valuable extra innings this fall, alongside top prospect Sebastian Walcott and outfielder Paxton Kling. For a system that continues to look deeper on the mound, Johnsons early AFL showing offered a promising glimpse of why the club remains interested in his rise. [Read more 🡒]