Logan Ryan on being cut: ‘I definitely took it personal’

The New York Giants had to tighten their fiscal belts considerably over the course of the 2022 off-season. Not only did they have to let young players walk in free agency, but they were also forced to part ways with veterans.

First the Giants released DB Logan Ryan, then they were forced to release CB James Bradberry after failing to find a trade partner. The two were stalwarts in the Giants’ secondary, and important reasons for the teams’ defensive improvement from 2019 to 2020 and 2021. However, the team was heading in a new direction.

While Bradberry’s release was widely expected as the team needed to clear cap space, Ryan’s release came as a surprise. He is still a useful player, and cutting him only saved the Giants $775 thousand on their salary cap.

Ryan was a guest on Jim Rome’s show recently, and he spoke about his release from the Giants.

“Does it give you a chip that you have on your shoulder? Like, what’s it like to hear that?” Rome asked.

“I think I definitely took it personal,” Ryan answered. “I guess he’s a little bit of a chip because I felt like I gave it all I had in New York.”

Ryan was widely linked to the Giants over the course of the 2020 free agency period, but he was only brought in after Xavier McKinney was injured at the start of training camp. Ryan’s experience and versatility proved to be assets for the Giants, leading to his big extension at the start of the 2021 off-season.

“Yeah. I mean, I can say that I’ve experienced almost every situation that you can have in the NFL,” Ryan said. “I was drafted, not first round, but I was drafted. I got that Draft Day experience. I experienced Super Bowls, starting in Super Bowls for the New England. I experienced free agency, signing a lucrative contract in Tennessee. I experience a long free agency, sitting out and then joining the Giants pretty late. I receive an extension of the Giants then I also got released.

I think I’ve experienced every high and low that you can experience that I’m grateful for all of them.”

But just a year after signing his extension, he was released. Ryan admitted that going through a full franchise reset was a novel experience for him.

He said, “I was never part of a coach being fired, as well as the GM. So obviously a whole new regime over there, looking to go in a different direction.”

“And I don’t know, you know, obviously what me Bradberry and some of these other guys could have done, but, you know, they’re looking at different direction,” he added. “I think we landed on our feet. You got to keep moving forward because it’s business. That’s what they tell you.”

Ryan signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while Bradberry joined the Philadelphia Eagles.