Giants' Roy Robertson-Harris profiles as late cut candidate after Graham Gano release
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The New York Giants could cut veteran DL Roy Robertson-Harris after one failed season with NYG.
News of an expected New York Giants departure was reported on the evening of March 29, as veteran kicker Graham Gano was finally released, and he may not be the last cut or trade of the offseason, with rumors still swirling about.
The Giants will have approximately $7.59 million in available cap space after Gano’s release is made official. Unfortunately, that’s not enough, considering the front office must still sign draft picks and fill out roster holes.
According to Over the Cap, the Giants had an “effective cap space” deficit of a little over negative $7.008 million before Gano’s release. Effective cap space is defined as “the cap space a team will have after signing at least 51 players and its projected rookie class to its roster.”
So, even after Gano, the Giants have some work to do in the salary cap department.
Contract restructures and extensions could help free up some more money without losing any players, but the coaching change could encourage more movement. Below are four Giants cut or trade candidates who could be wearing a different jersey in 2026.
4. Giants Would Likely Trade WR Darius Slayton If a Suitor Emerges After the NFL Draft
Darius Slayton makes sense as Giants trade candidate if suitor emerges
GettyThe New York Giants have made moves that would allow them to part ways with Darius Slayton via trade.
For some odd reason, general manager Joe Schoen overspent significantly to extend an unspectacular wide receiver in Darius Slayton last offseason, and now Big Blue might be stuck with him in 2026.
The Giants have already made moves to replace Slayton, signing Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin III. They could also add a wide receiver in the draft, either at No. 5 overall or later on. It’s a deep WR class, so NYG coming away with no rookie pass-catchers feels unlikely.
With Malik Nabers coming back, not to mention fan favorites like Isaiah Hodgins, Beaux Collins, Dalen Cambre, and Gunner Olszewski all returning, this 2026 WR room is becoming notably crowded, and Slayton feels like one of the odd men out.
It doesn’t make sense for the G-Men to release Slayton after Schoen’s ill-advised $36 million deal, but they can save nearly $13 million if they manage to trade him after June 1. Finding an interested suitor will no doubt be difficult, but it’s possible that a WR-needy team will emerge later this summer.
3. Jalin Hyatt Will Not Make It to Week 1
Sticking with wide receiver for a moment, 2023 third-rounder Jalin Hyatt is not long for this roster. The Giants may give Hyatt one final training camp to prove himself, but he’s already been replaced by aforementioned field-stretchers like Mooney and Austin. And new head coach John Harbaugh has no ties to the recent draft bust.
The G-Men can save approximately $1.517 million by releasing Hyatt at any time.
That may not seem like much, but for a disappointing playmaker with no special teams value who’s pretty much guaranteed not to make the Week 1 roster, cutting ties soon makes more sense than delaying the inevitable.
P.S. For this roster cut, Harbaugh may have to force Schoen’s hand.
2. DL Roy Robertson-Harris Could Become the Latest Giants Failed Signing Turned Roster Cut
Speaking of bad signings, the Roy Robertson-Harris addition on the defensive line was mostly a bust last year.
Schoen brought in Robertson-Harris (pictured in the cover image) on a two-year, $9 million deal. According to Pro Football Focus, he turned that $4.5 million-per-year salary into an 86th-ranked season in pass-rush win rate and an 83rd-ranked season in stop percentage on rushing plays (minimum 20% snap share for both).
Lining up next to playmakers like Dexter Lawrence and Brian Burns, Robertson-Harris should have been much more impactful. He wasn’t, and if the Giants end up signing a more established D-lineman like Shelby Harris (visited NYG last week), it would allow them to cut or trade Robertson-Harris.
Releasing Robertson-Harris would save $3.35 million in cap space, while trading him would free up $4.35 million.
1. Kayvon Thibodeaux Is Still the Most Obvious Giants Trade Candidate Amid Offseason Rumors
Giants trade rumors have surrounded Kayvon Thibodeaux all offseason
GettyThe New York Giants could still trade edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux either before or during the NFL draft.
Former first-round pass rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux is still the most likely Giants trade candidate ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft.
NYG beat reporters have continuously relayed that Big Blue will not just give Thibodeaux away. However, it seems pretty clear that Harbaugh would be willing to trade him if another team offered fair draft compensation.
That has yet to occur as of March 30, but there’s still time, as we are just entering draft season.
It might make the most sense to move Thibodeaux on draft weekend itself. It’s difficult to predict how the board will fall a month ahead of the draft, but EDGE-needy teams could change their mind if they miss out on prospects they had their eye on.
That’s probably the Giants’ best chance to move Thibodeaux, whose trade would clear $14.751 million in cap space.
HONORABLE MENTION
With the way the offseason has shaped out, this departure is now highly unlikely, but there’s a world where the Giants draft a guard and sign a veteran like Kevin Zeitler or Daniel Faalele. In that scenario, they could theoretically release left guard Jon Runyan Jr., who has not quite lived up to his contract either.
Cutting Runyan would save $9.25 million in cap space, so it’s worth considering if at least two starting-caliber guards are acquired. Having said that, Runyan was more of a cut candidate before the Giants passed on the guard market in NFL free agency.