Giants general manager Jerry Reese is getting an early start on his spring cleaning.
The Giants moved on from a number of unproductive players on Monday. The latest is tight end Larry Donnell, who will be not be re-signed, according to the NFL Network.
Giants TE overview
Earlier on Monday, the Giants released wide receiver Victor Cruz and Rashad Jennings. It wasn’t a big surprise that Cruz and Jennings were released because the moves cleared $10 million in cap space a month before free agency begins.
The fact that the Giants won’t re-sign Donnell is even less surprising. The 28-year-old is set to become an unrestricted free agent. It was clear that Donnell wasn’t in the Giants’ plans, as he was benched for most of the second half of last season after starting the first seven games.
Donnell finished the season with 15 catches for 92 yards and one touchdown. He was passed on the depth chart by Will Tye and rookie Jerell Adams, although Donnell played over Adams in the Giants’ 38-13 loss to the Packers in the Wild-Card round.
Donnell’s season was marred by gaffes. He inexplicably stepped out of bounds a yard short of the first-down marker on a third-down catch while trailing the Ravens late in Week 6. He was bailed out by Odell Beckham Jr.’s game-winning 66-yard touchdown on the next play. A fumble on the Giants’ second play from scrimmage the next week sealed Donnell’s fate.
Despite the disappointing season, Donnell had hoped to return to the Giants.
“It would be an honor,” Donnell told NJ Advance Media the day after the season ended. “I started here. I’d love to finish here.”
Donnell, who signed with the Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2012, was a great story early in his career. He broke out with 63 catches for 623 yards and six touchdowns in 2014. Donnell was limited to 29 catches for 223 yards and two touchdowns in eight games in 2015 before suffering a season-ending neck injury.
The Giants will likely pursue an upgrade at tight end in free agency and in the draft.
Dan Duggan may be reached at dduggan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DDuggan21. Find our Giants coverage on Facebook.
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