John Harbaugh Says There’s ‘Something to It’ After Giants Open Roster Spot

The New York Giants waived quarterback Jake Haener on Thursday, leaving an open spot on the 53-man roster three days before Sunday’s game at Philadelphia.

It was the third time the team has waived Haener this year, after Aug. 30 and Sept. 28.

The moves the Giants have in mind are internal ones, Giants coach John Harbaugh said Friday.

“There’s something to it,” Harbaugh said. “There’s a reason for it. I’m not making any announcements at this meeting, this particular press conference. We have certain roster moves we need to make with our various situations.”

The Giants signed Haener to the 53-man roster from the practice squad Sept. 26 and waived him two days later. They elevated him Oct. 3 and signed him back to the active roster Oct. 7. Giants On SI’s Patricia Traina reported that the team will look to bring him back to the practice squad.

J.J. McCarthy is the starting quarterback. The Giants acquired him from Minnesota on Sept. 28 for a 2027 fifth-round pick, four days after Jaxson Dart went on injured reserve. Jameis Winston signed a two-year extension Sept. 7.

Running back Cam Skattebo is doubtful for Sunday with a hamstring injury and did not practice Wednesday or Thursday. Tyrone Tracy Jr. went on injured reserve Oct. 27, a week after the Giants released Najee Harris.

Devin Singletary and Gregory Desrosiers, signed off the Chargers’ practice squad Oct. 27, are the healthy backs on the active roster. Eric Gray and Phil Mafah are on the practice squad.

On Wednesday, the Giants signed cornerback Greg Newsome II to a three-year contract extension.

The NFL trade deadline is 4 p.m. ET Tuesday, two days after the Eagles game and two days before the Giants host the Washington Commanders on Thursday night. NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported Oct. 28 that the Giants were looking for a running back and a defensive tackle.

Being smart and playing with discipline are a big part of winning football for Harbaugh, and both are part of his message for a road game in Philadelphia.

“I don’t know the answer for sure,” Harbaugh explained of whether handling a week like this one comes from experience or success. “I just feel very confident in our guys. I know our guys can handle whatever is thrown at them. You’ve got to go in there and play the kind of football that’s going to win a football game. It really does boil down to that at the end. Our guys can handle the pressure. They can handle the distractions. They can handle all the different things going on, being thrown around, because they know they have a job to do.”

“Each player and each coach knows they have a specific job to do,” Harbaugh continued. “That’s what they’re going to be concerned about doing. Anything else is not your business. There’s nothing you can worry about, but you can do what you can do. I’m very confident in our guys that way. How well we do it, that’s up to us. That’s what’s going to determine whether we win or not, how well we do it.”

Harbaugh laughed off the same question about himself in his 19th season as an NFL head coach. That one was too much for him to think about, he said.

Giants offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said Thursday the Giants carried four running backs into the season and want to keep the run game going no matter who gets the carries.

“Brutally honest, love where we’re at right now,” Nagy said. “Love everything about it. We know that Coach Harbs and Joe [Schoen] are always going to do everything that’s best for the team and we understand that. So, whatever that is, we’ll give our input on that. Love our guys, we know there’s great players out there and wherever that takes us, if that’s somebody else coming here, we’re going to give them everything they got to help us be better. Because we have one goal, and that’s to go 1-0 every week. That’s for real, to win every week, take this thing to the top. It’s going to be awesome.”

If tight end Isaiah Likely knows a player in the rumors, he will probably send that player the eyes emoji. Otherwise he lets the people upstairs do their job.

“Absolutely,” Likely said Thursday. “The more the merrier when it comes to great players. And I feel like when you’re in a position to be division leaders with everything in front of you, I feel like the more so that you add to your component of combat, it’s great.”

Friday was a good practice on a beautiful day, as far as Harbaugh was concerned, with all eyes on Sunday.

“We had the champ,” Harbaugh said. “He was here watching practice. A bunch of the guys were over there sparring with him a little bit, I guess. He said he always dreamed of being a tight end. Had to check out his hands a little bit to see how he looked. You never know, that could be the big story. The new free agent.”

Ciryl Gane became the UFC’s undisputed heavyweight champion in September after Tom Aspinall vacated the title. Gane had won the interim belt by stopping Alex Pereira in the second round on June 14 at UFC Freedom 250 at the White House.

Gane was the first Frenchman to win a UFC title when he took the interim heavyweight belt in August 2021. He defends the undisputed title against Josh Hokit at UFC 334 on Nov. 14 at Madison Square Garden.

The Giants play Washington at MetLife Stadium two nights earlier, at 8:15 p.m. ET on Prime Video.