Giants add trio of free agents on busy day of filling out the roster

The New York Giants were busy in 2023 NFL free agency on Thursday, adding a trio of players. The Giants reportedly signed wide receiver Jamison Crowder, cornerback Amani Oruwariye and tight end Tommy Sweeney to free-agent contracts.

All three signings are likely to be veteran minimum or veteran salary benefit contracts, something GM Joe Schoen and the Giants had a lot of success with a season ago.

Let’s look at what each player could bring to the Giants.

WR Jamison Crowder

Crowder is an eight-year veteran who was a fifth-round pick by the Washington Redskins in 2015.

In 100 regular-season games (51 starts) Crowder has 415 receptions for 4,667 yards and 28 receiving touchdowns. Crowder, who will be 30 in June, played only four games for the Buffalo Bills last season due to an ankle injury.

The Giants have already added Parris Campbell and Jeff Smith to their receiving corps in free agency, and brought back Darius Slayton. Smith profiles as primarily a special teams player, but Campbell and Slayton could be primary receivers.

Crowder brings punt return experience, averaging 8.2 yards per return on 95 returns over his eight seasons. Considering that the Giants do not appear interested in re-signing Richie James, their primary punt returner in 2022, that could be the biggest reason for adding Crowder.

The Giants reportedly had dinner earlier this week with Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba and are supposed to have dinner Thursday evening with Zay Flowers of Boston College.

So, perhaps even after the Crowder signing they will remain in the wide receiver market in the draft.

CB Amani Oruwariye

Oruwariye spent four seasons with the Detroit Lions after the team selected him in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Oruwariye played in 53 games over four seasons with 36 starts, and was a full-time starter for the Lions in 2020 and 2021. In 2021, Oruwariye had six interceptions and 11 passes defensed.

The Giants have Adoree’ Jackson at one cornerback, but question marks in the slot and on the boundary opposite Jackson. They appear to have little interest in bringing back journeyman Fabian Moreau, who did an adequate job filling in for them last season after injuries struck.

The Giants have young players Cor’Dale Flott, Aaron Robinson, Nick McCloud and Darnay Holmes, but are still widely expected to add to the position in the upcoming NFL draft.

At 6-foot-2, 205 pounds Oruwariye has the measurables defensive coordinator Wink Martindale likes, and could compete for a starting job pending what the Giants do in the draft.

TE Tommy Sweeney

A seventh-round pick by the Buffalo Bills in 2019, Sweeney caught 18 passes in three seasons with the Bills. He is a player GM Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll have familiarity with from Buffalo, and they likely see him as an upgrade to players the Giants used as blocking tight ends last season like Chris Myarick, Tanner Hudson and Nick Vannett.

The Giants, of course, traded for Darren Waller to be their primary receiving tight end. Waller and Daniel Bellinger should get most of the playing time.