Giants 90-Man Roster: Can LB Curtis Grant Earn A Spot?

Sometimes young NFL players bounce from team to team, existing on practice squads while hoping that somewhere along the way the stars align and they get a real shot on a 53-man roster. For two season, New York Giants linebacker Curtis Grant has been one of those players.

An undrafted free agent out of Ohio State, the 6-foot-2, 240-pound Grant has lived the vagabond life of a fringe NFL player for the past two years. He was cut by the San Diego Chargers in 2015, then signed late in the season to the practice squad of the Atlanta Falcons. He went through three more NFL organizations in 2016 without ever being on an active roster.

Can Grant find a home with the Giants? Let’s take a look as we continue our player-by-player profiles of the team’s 90-man roster.

2016 Season In Review

Grant was one of the final players cut by the Tennessee Titans before the regular season began. He spent parts of the year on the practice squads of the Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers.

2017 Season Outlook

Grant is one of eight linebackers on the Giants’ current roster. Barring injuries, Keenan Robinson, Jonathan Casillas, Devon Kennard and B.J. Goodson are four linebackers who will be on the roster. Mark Herzlich seems to find a way onto the team every year, so that would be five. If he makes it back from a knee injury, J.T. Thomas could be the sixth linebacker.

Grant, Deontae Skinner and Calvin Munson are players fighting for attention, and maybe an extra linebacker roster spot. Eric Pinkins is listed as a linebacker, but has also played and it appears that is where the Giants intend to use him.

Here is part of an NFL.com scouting report on Grant:

Looks the part, but has limitations in terms of instincts and overall nose for the ball. He's a physical inside linebacker with pass-rush and pass-coverage limitations.

For more about Grant, check out this piece from SB Nation’s Land Grant Holy Land.