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Jordan Raanan, ESPN Staff Writer
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Wide receiver Cole Beasley is being released off the New York Giants practice squad, with sources telling ESPN that the veteran asked for his release because he did not see an opportunity to make the active roster.
“Got a lot of respect for Cole,” coach Brian Daboll said Friday. “Just decided that — kind of both parties had a good conversation, and he won’t be on the practice squad.”
Beasley, 34, began the season on injured reserve because of a quad injury suffered during training camp. But he has been healthy and practicing for several weeks and still intends to play.
The Giants (1-5) host the Washington Commanders on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
Beasley was signed this offseason to a one-year contract and was supposed to add another veteran presence to the wide receiver room. He had an existing relationship Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen from their time with the Buffalo Bills. Beasley served as a sounding board to the quarterbacks and wide receivers on Daboll’s offense this summer and early this season.
Beasley is in his 12th professional season. He has 556 career catches for 5,744 yards and 34 touchdowns with the Bills, Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
But the Giants didn’t have room for him at this time with Darius Slayton, Isaiah Hodgins, Wan’Dale Robinson, Parris Campbell, Jalin Hyatt and Sterling Shepard as the six wide receivers on the active roster. They also said this week that they intend to go young at the position, with Hyatt and Robinson pushing Campbell and Shepard out of the rotation last week in Buffalo.
Hyatt is a rookie third-round pick out of Tennessee. Robinson was a second-round pick last year from Kentucky.
“They’re young, so you’ve got to play them to develop them,” Daboll said this week.
The Giants flirted with signing Beasley as a free agent last season as well, but nothing concrete ever materialized.
