Josh Ezeudu is leaving the Giants five months later than expected.
The Giants traded Ezeudu to the Chiefs for a 2028 seventh-round draft pick, marking the second time in a week’s span that they acquired a draft pick for a backup offensive lineman on the roster bubble.
The Giants likely would have had to keep 10 offensive linemen for Ezeudu, 27, to survive Sunday’s cut to 53 players. After the five starters, the Giants have backup tackles Marcus Mbow and J.C. Davis, guard Aaron Stinnie and a backup center (either Lucas Patrick or Bryan Hudson).
Ezeudu, a 2022 third-round pick, didn’t play a snap last season despite being ready to return from injured reserve with plenty of time to go. So it was a surprise when he decided to continue his Giants career by re-signing a one-year, $1.145 million free agent contract.
The trade adds $80,000 dead salary cap space to the tab.
Ezeudu showed promise as a rookie guard but was moved to tackle in 2023. He never recovered from the struggles and lost confidence that followed him that season.
At least not until this summer when he was moved back to guard and started to show flashes of salvaging a career.
Ezeudu hasn’t practiced this week after he was “kicked in the back of the leg” Saturday against the Dolphins.
Head coach John Harbaugh described his status as day to day.
“He’s kind of getting to the point now where we feel like he could swing right tackle, right guard,” Harbaugh said Sunday. “Right now we’re kind of keeping him off the left side and just keeping him to the right side, and that helps a little bit with some of the techniques. So, we think he’s ready for it, that he can handle it, and that gives us some position flexibility as a backup.”
The Giants traded guard Daniel Faalele to the Jaguars for a 2027 sixth-round pick last week.
