NFL Free Agency 2017: QB Josh McCown heads group of recently-released players

NFL teams began reshaping their rosters this week, trimming veteran players who no longer fit into their plans to create salary cap space. Let’s look at some of the players who are now free agents and see if any would fit with the New York Giants.

OL Brandon Fusco and Mike Harris — The Minnesota Vikings, perhaps with worse offensive line issues that the ones the Giants had in 2016, have moved on from both of these veteran players. Fusco played both left and right guard during his six seasons in Minnesota, starting 64 of the 67 games he played. Fusco ranked 63rd of 72 qualifying guards graded by Pro Football Focus last season. Harris, 28, has played both tackle spots and right guard in 48 NFL games, including 33 starts. He missed all of the 2016 season with a non-football illness. Could either of these players provide depth or competition along the line?

QB Josh McCown — The 37-year-old was let go by the Cleveland Browns after playing in fives games with three starts in 2016. Ryan Nassib and Josh Johnson are free agents, and right now the Giants’ backup quarterback is Keith Wenning. Odds are that the Giants will bring Johnson back, but he hasn’t played in a game since 2013 and hasn’t thrown a pass since 2011. McCown has played in 35 games with 29 starts during that span, and has played in 82 games during a 14-year career. It would seem like a good idea to have a backup quarterback who has actually played some football recently.

LB D’Qwell Jackson (Colts) — The last time Jackson was a free agent, back in 2014, yours truly thought the Giants should have had interest. They passed. Now, Jackson is 33 and perhaps at the end of his NFL road after 10 seasons.

DBs Tramon Williams (Browns), Leodis McKelvin (Eagles), Sam Shields (Packers), Justin Gilbert (Steelers) — Williams, McKelvin and Shields are all veterans who have seen better days. Gilbert is a 2014 first-round pick who has now been dropped by the Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers. He was also toasted by Cleveland offensive tackle Joe Thomas.