With Andrew Thomas missing time and Nate Solder being bullied by Cowboys edge rushers for nearly 60 minutes straight in Week 5, the Giants have opted for some reinforcement upfront.
The team has officially added offensive tackle Devery Hamilton to their practice squad (h/t Giants.com’s Dan Salomone). The move comes after Big Blue’s weekly tryout in East Rutherford on Tuesday, October 12th. Other players brought in for a look included fellow offensive tackle Elijah Nkansah and former Los Angeles Chargers starting guard Forrest Lamp. As of now, it appears as if the Giants have chosen to pass on both players.
Hamilton, 23, went undrafted out of Duke this year after a previous four-year run at Stanford. In 38 career collegiate games (21 starts), Hamilton logged 1,823 total snaps and was a three-time academic selection. He was initially signed by the Las Vegas Raiders in May, bouncing on-and-off their roster until being released for the final time in late September.
Hamilton Could Slide Inside
The Maryland native is a massive human being, listed at a towering 6-foot-9-inches and 310 pounds on the Blue Devils’ team website. Yet, despite Hamilton’s god-given traits, draft experts like Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline believe that the offensive lineman’s game may be better suited for the guard position in the pros.
College tackle who projects to guard in the NFL. Bends his knees, stays square, and shows patience in pass protection. Strong, explosive at the point, and correctly places his hands into defenders. Turns opponents from the action to open up running lanes. Keeps his head on a swivel, looks for someone to hit, and works blocks…
Hamilton enjoyed a solid college career at Duke, and he’s a tough, hard-working lineman with nice length. He must improve his strength at the point of attack but possesses the necessary tools to back up on Sundays.
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Thomas Trending Towards a Return
In what has been an injury-ridden few days for the Giants, it sounds as if they can at least breathe a sigh of relief when it comes to their starting left tackle. Despite being active against the Cowboys, Thomas spent the entirety of the game on the sidelines as he continued to nurse an injured left foot.
Thankfully, the rest looks to have done some good for the second-year pro, who told the New York Post’s “Blue Rush” podcast that he’s “feeling better, doing a lot of work, a lot of treatment and trying to get ready for Sunday.”
Prior to kickoff vs. Dallas, Thomas went through a substantial pregame workout to test his foot. And while the medical staff and the higher-ups in the Giants organization opted to ultimately play things cautiously, Thomas came out of the routine feeling extremely optimistic about his health moving forward.
“I think that’s the best I’ve moved since the injury,’’ Thomas noted. “Like in practice [last week] I got a few reps but they could tell I was a little gimpy. But that was the best I moved all week so I think that’s progress.’’
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Giants Add Towering Ex-Raiders OT Amid Andrew Thomas Injury