The New York Giants have signed former Cowboys and Lions wide receiver Kevin Ogletree in the wake of the season-ending injury to Victor Cruz.
Ogletree was among several wide receivers who worked out for the Giants on Tuesday, and they liked him enough to sign him to their 53-man roster. He has experience playing the slot wide receiver position, which is the position that Cruz played.
Cruz's primary backup, Jerrel Jernigan, was placed on season-ending injured reserve last month. The Giants placed Cruz on season-ending injured reserve Tuesday, one day after he had surgery to repair the right patellar tendon he tore in Sunday night's loss to the Eagles.
The Giants suffered a blow on the defensive side of the ball as well, as they placed cornerback Trumaine McBride on season-ending injured reserve after he had surgery Tuesday to repair a broken thumb. McBride was filling in at nickel cornerback for Walter Thurmond, who was signed in the offseason to play that position but suffered his own season-ending arm injury in September.
To replace McBride on the roster, the Giants signed cornerback Chandler Fenner from the practice squad. They are thin at that position as well, as starting outside cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie has been dealing with leg and back injuries. Jayron Hosley is likely to take over for McBride in the nickel corner position, and Zack Bowman can fill in for Rodgers-Cromartie on the outside if need be.
At receiver, it's trickier. It's unlikely Ogletree can help right away, as he'll have to learn and practice in a new system. The Giants can use Preston Parker in the slot in the meantime, with Rueben Randle and Odell Beckham Jr. continuing to get the work at the outside receiver spots. Some have suggested moving Beckham inside to the slot, but the Giants fear that might put a cap on his abilities to stretch the defense as a deep threat.
The Giants signed wide receiver Chris Harper, cornerback Victor Hampton and linebacker Carlos Fields to their practice squad. They released wide receiver Travis Harvey from the practice squad and placed cornerback Bennett Jackson on the practice squad/injured list.