The New York Giants cut cornerback Nick McCloud on Wednesday, but it shouldn’t be long before the former undrafted free agent finds a new home. Following the 2021 NFL Draft, the Notre Dame product spent his first season bouncing around the league before eventually finding a home with the Giants. Following two years of adequate play, New York signed him to a one-year, $3 million contract as a restricted free agent. While he made five starts with the team, the Giants weren’t impressed with his play and demanded he take a pay cut, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.
Nick McCloud refused, leaving the Giants with no choice but to cut him. Now a free agent, McCloud is one of the better cornerbacks on the open market. While he’s no superstar, the former undrafted free agent can play well in the right system as a complementary depth piece. With the trade deadline passed, teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens could take a shot on him.
Chiefs, Ravens Could Sign Nick McCloud After Unceremonious Cut
The Kansas City Chiefs are the NFL’s last undefeated team and went out of their way to improve during the trade deadline. With needs at wide receiver and pass rusher, the team traded for DeAndre Hopkins and former Patriot Josh Uche. Hopkins is off to a hot start, recording eight receptions for 86 yards and two touchdowns in Kansas City’s nail-biting win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Uche, meanwhile, recorded two tackles in his debut with the reigning Super Bowl champions.
These were the Chiefs two biggest needs, but they weren’t the only ones. With Jaylen Watson sidelined indefinitely, Kansas City must find someone capable of starting opposite Trent McDuffie. Former fourth-round pick Joshua Williams had a strong 2023 but has struggled in 2024. If he can’t recapture his previous form, the recently cut Nick McCloud could be a last-second savior for this team. With the defense already loaded with talent, McCloud won’t need to play like a superstar, he’ll just need to not be an active liability.
More Secondary Help
The Baltimore Ravens have one of the most dangerous offenses in modern NFL history. Defenses can’t slow down this attack, led by quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry and complemented by players like Zay Flowers, Mark Andrews, and Isaiah Likely. However, Baltimore knows that strong regular season performances don’t always correlate to postseason success, which is why they must add more talent to the secondary.
With Marlon Humphrey battling injury and first-round pick Nate Wiggins struggling, the team acquired Tre’Davious White at the trade deadline. White used to be one of the game’s elite defenders, but the two-time Pro Bowler looked lost during his short stint with the Los Angeles Rams. Maybe a change of scenery can bring out the best in the former first-round pick, but it wouldn’t hurt for Baltimore to bring in the recently cut Nick McCloud. The former Giant shouldn’t cost much more than the league minimum, and he might even accept a job on the practice squad. That minor investment is well worth the upside of landing a reliable depth cornerback late in the season.
Main Photo: Charles LeClaire – USA Today Sports
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