Giants release Devin Taylor, Will Tye, Josh Johnson

Defensive end Devin Taylor had 11.5 sacks in 31 games over the past two seasons, but he wasn't able to earn a spot on the talented New York Giants defensive line.

Taylor, who signed as a free agent with the Giants this offseason, was among the team's cuts Saturday, as it moved to get down to the 53-man roster limit by 4 p.m. ET.

Another player released by the Giants was tight end Will Tye, who started for the team last season. The Giants drafted tight end Evan Engram in the first round this year.

The Giants also released quarterback Josh JohnsonasGeno Smithwon the team's job to back up starting quarterback Eli Manning.

The Giants are deep at defensive end, withJason Pierre-Paul, Olivier Vernon, Romeo Okwaraand 2017 fifth-round pick Avery Moss on the depth chart. Veteran Kerry Wynnalso solidified his roster spot with a strong summer.

Taylor, 27, started 16 games for the Detroit Lions last season, starting opposite Ezekiel Ansah. He had 28 tackles and 4.5 sacks in his first year as a starter. He served as a reserve defensive end for most of his four years with the Lions.

The 6-foot-7, 275-pound South Carolina product, who was the Lions' fourth-round pick in the 2013 draft, has good athleticism and has shown some promise against both the run and pass during his career.

Taylor had signed a one-year, $855,000 contract, but only $40,000 was guaranteed.

ESPN's Michael Rothstein contributed to this report.