Every NFL offseason comes with hard choices, but the New York Giants felt the sting this time when roster cuts became reality.
For once, the Giants couldn’t stash every draft pick or undrafted hopeful — this year’s roster math was brutally unforgiving.
Korie Black slips away across town
Rookie cornerback Korie Black became the casualty, waived after an injury-plagued preseason despite showing flashes of potential in spring practices.
The Giants hoped to slide him back onto the practice squad, but the New York Jets spotted an opening and pounced quickly.
Black suited up in just one preseason contest, recording a tackle against the Jets, ironically the very team that claimed him.
Defensive coordinator Steve Wilks reportedly saw something in his tape, pushing the Jets to take a chance on the 22-year-old.
For the Giants, the move effectively flushed a seventh-round draft pick, though those selections rarely carry much long-term certainty.
Korie Black, NFL: New York Giants Minicamp
Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
Black takes it in stride
Korie Black handled the move with maturity, acknowledging the business side of the NFL in his comments to the New York Post.
“I appreciate the Giants, the GM, everybody over there,” Black told Jared Schwartz of the New York Post. “It’s a business, so things happen.”
He admitted the unpredictability of the league, noting: “Anything could happen. I could’ve stayed there… I could’ve came here.”
Joe Schoen’s perspective on the loss
General manager Joe Schoen didn’t hide his disappointment but kept the bigger picture in mind regarding Black’s potential moving forward.
“He had a good spring,” Schoen said. “He showed some traits there that we were excited about.”
“Unfortunately, just injured in camp, so we’ll see what happens there,” Schoen concluded before Black jumped ship.
It’s a reminder that the NFL is as much about durability as it is about talent when final cuts arrive.
Korie Black, NFL: New York Jets at New York Giants
Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images
Giants looking for value elsewhere
While the Giants lost Black, they still feel confident about other rookies stepping into meaningful developmental roles this season.
Seventh-round Tight end Thomas Fidone, a Nebraska product, has already impressed the coaching staff and could grow into a reliable passing weapon.
If Fidone develops into a contributor, it will ease the sting of losing a depth piece like Black to the Jets.
Still, fans will wonder if the Giants could have maneuvered differently to protect their rookie corner from slipping away.
The unforgiving reality of roster building
Seventh-round picks are like lottery tickets — sometimes you win big, but more often they vanish before truly materializing.
The Giants have seen both sides of that coin, and this season’s cuts proved there’s no perfect formula for roster management.
Black now gets a chance to reset across town, while the Giants turn their focus toward the players still in blue.
For Big Blue, it’s another reminder that roster depth is fluid, fragile, and rarely goes exactly as planned.