Giants roster move: Paul Perkins waived, TE Kaden Smith claimed

The New York Giants made a roster move on Monday, waiving running back Paul Perkins and claiming tight end Kaden Smith off waivers from the San Francisco 49ers.

Perkins made the Giants roster after missing all of 2018 with a pectoral injury. He was inactive the first two games.

Perkins, 24, has 546 yards on 153 carries, a career average of 3.6 yards per carry.

Smith, out of Stanford, is 6-foot-5, 249 pounds. The folks at SB Nation’s Niners Nation seemed nervous about Smith getting through waivers when the 49ers cut him, and now their fears have come true.

NFL.com said in a pre-draft scouting report:

“Y” tight end who possesses adequate run-blocking talent and safety-blanket ball skills with the ability to rescue contested catches with strong hands and a wide frame. Smith gives good effort as a run blocker but will need to improve his technique and core strength to turn losses into stalemates on the pro level. He has the focus and toughness to work over the middle, but he’s unlikely to outfox man coverage. He might not be dynamic enough to rise above TE2 status.

Draft Network said:

Kaden Smith is an intriguing TE prospect, but projects as a player that will need added developmental time before any expectations should be placed on him. Smith is pretty lethargic at the top of his stems and won’t inspire as a man beater in routes. Pretty specific skill set for immediate role, wins up seam vs. zone and as a sit-down target vs. soft zone. Smith has skills and promise but shouldn’t be tasked to play a large percentage of snaps until he fleshes out his game.

With Garrett Dickerson sidelined with a quad injury, the Giants have now added tight ends Eric Tomlinson and Smith since the season began.

Perkins, a fifth-round pick in 2016, is yet another Jerry Reese draft pick to be sent packing by the Giants.