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Giants Finalize 53-Man Roster
Lorenzen in, Palmer out; Blackburn, Butler among rookie free agents to make the team.
By Michael Eisen, Giants.com

September 3, 2005

The Giants said goodbye to 18 players and hello to one today as they made the roster moves that enabled them to reach the regular-season roster limit of 53 players.

Among those released were linebacker Kevin Lewis, who started all 16 games at middle linebacker last season; quarterback Jesse Palmer, who had been with the team since 2001; offensive lineman Wayne Lucier, who started 20 of 27 games in which he played in his two seasons with the Giants; and Mark Jones, the team's punt returner in 2004.

The Giants also announced the signing of Chad Morton, a veteran running back who can return punts and kickoffs.

All four of the team's draft choices made the team: Corey Webster, Justin Tuck, Brandon Jacobs and Eric Moore. So did three rookie free agents: defensive end Adrian Awasom, linebacker Chase Blackburn and safety James Butler.

Technically, the contracts of Lewis, Palmer, running back Michael Cloud and offensive lineman Lewis Kelly were terminated.

The players who were waived include Lucier and fellow offensive linemen Brandon Winey, Morgan Pears and Myniya Smith, running back Ryan Grant, wide receivers Jones, Ataveus Cash and Michael Jennings, tight end Darius Williams, defensive linemen Jonas Seawright and Raheem Orr, linebackers James Maxwell and T.J. Hollowell, and safety Curry Burns.

The current 53-man roster looks like this. It is subject to change prior to the season opener against Arizona on Sept. 11.

Offense (25)

QB: Eli Manning, Tim Hasselbeck, Jared Lorenzen

RB: Tiki Barber, Derrick Ward, Brandon Jacobs, Chad Morton

FB: Jim Finn

WR: Amani Toomer, Plaxico Burress, David Tyree, Tim Carter, Jamaar Taylor, Willie Ponder

TE: Jeremy Shockey, Visanthe Shiancoe, Chris Luzar

OL: Luke Petitgout, David Diehl, Shaun O'Hara, Chris Snee, Kareem McKenzie, Bob Whitfield, Rich Seubert, Jason Whittle.

Defense (25)

DL: Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, Kendrick Clancy, William Joseph, Justin Tuck, Eric Moore, Kenderick Allen, Damane Duckett, Fred Robbins, Adrian Awasom.

LB: Antonio Pierce, Carlos Emmons, Reggie Torbor, Nick Greisen, Barrett Green, Chase Blackburn

DB: Will Allen, William Peterson, Gibril Wilson, Brent Alexander, Shaun Williams, Curtis Deloatch, Corey Webster, Frank Walker, James Butler.

Special Teams (3)

K: Jay Feely

P: Jeff Feagles

LS: Ryan Kuehl

"The roster is never something that is a hundred percent predictable," coach Tom Coughlin said. "So anyone on the outside trying to do that will be surprised by some of the people involved in the final 53. However, it's a constant shaping and molding, and that's the way it emerges."

In addition to keeping the most talented players, Coughlin said the roster was constructed with an eye toward keeping as many playmakers as possible, players who can help on special teams and who can provide depth.

"I think we have more playmakers (than last year)," Coughlin said. "I think that's a safe assertion. On paper we have more. Obviously, we have to play up to that expectation, which is a high one."

Regarding the depth, Coughlin said, "There's a risk/reward with everything you do with your roster at this point in time. But we've put ourselves in a position where we have depth in the defensive line. In the areas where we mentioned some of the top playmakers, people are going to have to play to the top of our expectation."

That includes Morton, who is beginning his sixth NFL season. The 5-8, 203-pounder has played for New Orleans, the Jets and Washington, where he suffered a knee injury that limited him to six games last season. He was signed by the New England Patriots on June 21, placed on the physically unable to perform list on July 28, and released last Tuesday.

In 62 career games (three starts), Morton has 88 rushing attempts for 360 yards (a 4.1-yard average), 48 receptions for 419 yards and a touchdown and averaged 9.0 yards on 79 punts returns and 24.0 yards on 174 kickoff returns. He has returned three kickoffs for touchdowns, including two with the Jets in 2002, when he led the AFC with 1,509 return yards.

"Again, he's a playmaker, a guy that's done it in the past, not only as a punt returner, but as a kickoff returner," Coughlin said. "Also, I think he can play some as the fourth back and be a guy who perhaps would be a third-down back or run from behind a team that's deployed with three or even four wide receivers. I think we pick up a little bit of depth there."

Morton, who played collegiate football at USC, was a fifth-round draft choice of the New Orleans Saints in 2000 (the 166th overall pick). He was traded to the Jets following his rookie season, then signed with the Redskins on March 6, 2003, then was awarded to the team on April 8 when an arbitrator ruled the Jets did not match the offer sheet. Washington released him on June 3 of this year.

Palmer's release means Lorenzen made the team after sitting out last season for personal reasons. He was considered by many to be a longshot when training camp opened.

"His last couple of weeks have been generally positive," Coughlin said. "For a guy that hadn't play an awful lot he made some good decisions the other night (in the preseason finale at New England). He was good under fire. He saw the ball on the sideline for the touchdown (to Taylor), which is something that you talk about a lot, but don't get done a lot. But he was able to make the distinction between a safety that was in a position to help in the middle of the field versus a guy working the sidelines. He saw that and got that done. He also threw a perfect strike to Tim Carter that he dropped. He ran on a critical third down and made a first down. So he did some things that showed he's a guy that is improving all the time. I do think that we're better served to try to continue that development."

Perhaps the most unexpected name on the roster is Blackburn, who was a little known player from Akron when he signed on June 22, just five weeks before training camp opened.

Asked why Blackburn made the cut, Coughlin said, "Special teams. That accentuates the critical eye that this team has toward quality special teams play, and (Blackburn) has had a good preseason in that regard. Butler has had a good preseason from the safety position, and also has contributed strongly on special teams. He also had three sacks in the preseason."

By late afternoon Saturday, Coughlin had talked to all of the released players. He praised all of them, particularly the veterans such as Lewis, Palmer and Lucier.

"They've been outstanding young men, outstanding Giants," he said. "They have my utmost respect. It's an unfortunate thing. It's a part of this business that I do not like, and that is having to tell young men that I have a lot of faith in and have worked very hard that they're not on the final 53. It's an unfortunate part of the business, but nevertheless, it is a part of it. These young men have been nothing but class. I think they know I'm sincere in telling them how much I respect them. They have handled themselves with extreme class at this point in time, which obviously is not a high point in their professional careers."