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90-man roster preview: WR Donte Foster aims to find home with Giants

Can Foster emerge from the crowd at wide receiver?

Donte Foster during a preseason game with the Minnesota Vikings
Donte Foster during a preseason game with the Minnesota Vikings
Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Wide receiver Donte Foster has had a vagabond journey through the NFL for the past two seasons, typical of players who enter the league as undrafted free agents. Can Foster show the New York Giants enough to find a home with the team? Let's take a closer look at Foster as we continue our player-by-player profiles of the 90-man roster the Giants will bring to training camp later this summer.

2015 Season in Review

Foster, 6-foot-1, 193 pounds, was on and off the Minnesota Vikings' practice squad in 2014. He began 2015 there, as well, before being waived. He also spent time last season on the practice squads of the San Diego Chargers and Dallas Cowboys.

2016 Season Outlook 

Foster's 42-inch vertical jump during the 2014 pre-draft process would have been the best among wide receivers in the 2016 draft class. His 10-foot, 10-inch broad jump would have been second-best. His 40-yard dash time of 4.47 would have tied him for seventh-best among receivers. His three-cone time of 6.79 would have been top 10, as well.

So, Foster is quite the athlete and that athleticism keeps earning him looks from NFL teams. The 25-year-old has not, however, been able to turn all of those athletic gifts into a spot on a 53-man roster. Can he do that with the Giants?

If everyone is healthy, four wide receiver roster spots are already spoken for with Odell Beckham Jr., Victor Cruz, Sterling Shepard and Dwayne Harris. Foster is in a crowded mix of returning young players and undrafted free agents competing for the final couple of spots.

You wonder if it's 53-man roster or bust for Foster's NFL career at this point. Giants GM Jerry Reese sometimes says that when players are 25 they are almost out of the league, so Foster is likely running out of time.