The New York Giants lost a member of their practice squad to the Green Bay Packers during their Week 14 bye, and the news surfaced on the evening of December 3.
“The Packers signed DL Jordon Riley from the Giants’ practice squad, according to today’s transactions wire,” NorthJersey.com beat reporter Art Stapleton relayed on X.
Riley was a former seventh-round draft pick in 2023, but he failed to make the 53-man roster at the tail end of 2025 training camp and the preseason. After signing to the practice squad, the defensive lineman has not been elevated for a single game.
Riley did suit up for 13 games in 2024 and another 8 games as a rookie. He started 5 of his 13 appearances last year.
In total, Riley registered 20 combined tackles for Big Blue, including 4 tackles for a loss and 1 quarterback hit.
Jordon Riley Is Another Failed Giants Draft Pick on General Manager Joe Schoen’s Resume
Giants general manager Joe Schoen is the big topic of conversation this week, after he addressed another losing season at the start of the NYG bye.
As question after question came in, Schoen attempted to defend his resume, which is not an easy task. Riley represents yet another failed draft pick under Schoen’s administration.
Sure, seventh-round draft picks don’t have the highest success rate, but Schoen has had several failed April selections, including first-rounders like Evan Neal. Riley is merely the latest to officially leave the organization without making a significant impact.
Of course, when the Giants chose to waive Riley and sign him to the practice squad, they made him available to other teams. Or, in other words, they admitted that he is not invaluable.
That admission is also an acknowledgement that Riley was another failed draft pick, especially when you consider the current state of the Giants‘ defensive line.
Giants Expected to Have Dominant Defensive Front, But That Hasn’t Been the Case as of Week 14
While speaking with reporters, Schoen noted that he expected much more from the Giants’ defense in 2025, considering the investments the front office has made in recent offseasons. The DL was supposed to lead the way in this department.
Not only did Schoen spend the No. 3 pick on Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter, but he also traded for Brian Burns in 2024 and brought in veterans Roy Robertson-Harris and Chauncey Golston. Plus, we cannot forget about 2025 third-rounder Darius Alexander, who has not shown much during his rookie campaign.
Unfortunately, it’s not just Alexander who is underperforming. Aside from Burns, most of the Giants’ D-line and edge rusher room have been nonexistent.
That’s a big part of why defensive coordinator Shane Bowen was fired, but even without Bowen calling the shots, this integral unit did not show much fight in Week 13.
The New England Patriots imposed their will on the G-Men on national television, and they did it on the backs of a banged-up offensive line that was missing multiple starters. If this Giants’ defensive front can’t even take advantage of a blocking unit made up of backups, that’s a major concern.
Needless to say, if Riley can’t crack this group, he probably wouldn’t survive a regime change either. But even if the Giants aren’t losing much after the Packers news, the departure is still yet another prime example of an alarming trend of wasted assets.
Giants Lose Recent Draft Pick to NFC Contender: Report