Giants waive QB Davis Webb, claim NFL-high six players off waivers

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The New York Giants weren't anywhere near finished setting their roster after Saturday's cut-down to 53 players.

The Giants claimed an NFL-high six players Sunday and waived second-year quarterback Davis Webb in a surprise move.

The Giants claimed defensive end Mario Edwards Jr. (Raiders), wide receiver Kaelin Clay (Bills), center Spencer Pulley (Chargers) and defensive backs Antonio Hamilton (Raiders), Mike Jordan (Browns) and Kamrin Moore (Saints).

In the corresponding moves, the Giants released veteran offensive tackle John Jerry and safety William Gay and waived Webb, defensive tackle Josh Banks, tight end Jerell Adams and wide receiver Hunter Sharp. Jerry started 56 games over the past four seasons with the Giants. He was slated to be a backup after they adjusted his contract earlier this year. Gay signed with the Giants this offseason after spending 10 of the past 11 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Edwards, 24, was a second-round pick of the Raiders in 2015 and has 5.5 sacks in three seasons with Oakland. The Raiders were trying to move him earlier this week, but he was instead waived. The Giants were second in the waiver order on Sunday.

Webb's exit was surprising after he spent the entire offseason and summer as the backup to Eli Manning, ahead of rookie Kyle Lauletta and Alex Tanney, who remain on the roster.

The Giants shopped Webb on Saturday, with the Raiders being a team with which they had talks, according to a source. Nothing materialized -- Oakland traded a sixth-round pick to Buffalo for quarterback AJ McCarron -- and Webb was one of four quarterbacks on the Giants' original 53-man roster.

Webb was a third-round pick in the 2017 NFL draft by the previous regime, led by general manager Jerry Reese. New general manager Dave Gettleman passed on a quarterback this year with the No. 2 overall pick, but drafted Lauletta in the fourth round.

The Giants' belief in Lauletta and having him as the lone developmental quarterback is believed to be among the primary reasons they waived Webb, according to a source.

Gettleman signed Clay to be the return specialist last year in Carolina. He was then traded to Buffalo after Gettleman was fired before returning to the Panthers later in the year. He has averaged 9.4 yards per punt return and 23.2 yards on kickoffs throughout his career with the Panthers, Bills and Ravens.

The Giants kept only four cornerbacks on their initial 53-man roster. Hamilton, Jordan and Moore give them a new look, and now there will be a rush to get all six newly acquired players ready for Week 1.

The Giants open at home next Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.