Braxton Berrios is no longer a Giant. The team released the receiver and returner on Sunday, per ProFootballTalk. The move was quiet, but it says more about the Giants' roster direction than Berrios's decline.
In the Giants' recent preseason game, Berrios caught 1 of 4 targets for 15 yards and lost a fumble. He also returned one punt for 10 yards. Those numbers don't force a coach to keep you. They do explain why the Giants felt comfortable letting him go.
The consensus take will be that this is a minor transaction, the kind of move teams make 100 times a year. That's correct. It is minor. But the interesting part is who replaces Berrios. In that same game, Xavier Gipson returned a kick 39 yards, handled two punt returns, and caught a 37-yard touchdown. The Giants already have their return specialist, and he's younger and more dangerous.
This release ties into a larger roster cleanup. New York signed running back Najee Harris and let go of receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster recently, according to Giants.com. The pattern is clear: clear out veteran depth and bet on younger players who can create explosive plays without putting the ball on the ground. Berrios lost a fumble in his last extended look. That's the wrong way to make a roster.
The Giants' receiver room still has Odell Beckham Jr., Isaiah Hodgins, Tanner Conner, and a stable of tight ends from that same box score. Berrios was the odd man out. The fumble just made the decision easier.
Expect the Giants to fill that roster spot with a special-teams contributor or a practice-squad cut, not a marquee name. Berrios may get a look elsewhere, but he'll be a camp body, not a difference-maker. The Giants are better off trusting Gipson with the returns. That's the right call.