The Giants trimmed their roster with eight releases, and while most were summer camp fliers, one name stood out from the group: wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins, whose second stint in East Rutherford ends before it even reached the regular season.
Giants released: CB Ugo Amadi RB Damon Bankston TE Josiah Deguara DL Leki Fotu WR Isaiah Hodgins OL Brenden Jaimes LB Anfernee Orji WR Kobe Prentice
Hodgins isn't a random camp body. He was claimed off waivers by the Giants back in 2022 and became a fixture for two seasons, playing 28 of his 31 career games in New York and starting all 14 he suited up for. His signature moment came in the 2022 Wild Card win at Minnesota, where he led the team with 8 catches for 105 yards and a touchdown. That history is exactly why this release stings a little more than the other seven.
After bouncing through San Francisco and Pittsburgh's practice squad, Hodgins got the call back to New York on November 13, 2025, and made his return in Week 11. He closed out the year with 10 catches for 115 yards and a touchdown on 19 targets over 7 games — respectable, but not nearly enough to survive a receiver room that carried 14 bodies into camp.
The Giants made 8 cuts, the most notable being WR Isaiah Hodgins. He was buried this summer. Most of the other moves were summer signings. CB Ugo Amadi RB Damon Bankston TE Josiah Deguara DL Leki Fotu WR Isaiah Hodgins OL Brenden Jaimes LB Anfernee Orji WR Kobe Prentice
Jordan Raanan's read on it lines up with how the numbers looked all summer: Hodgins was buried on the depth chart, squeezed by names like Odell Beckham Jr. and third-round rookie Malachi Fields, who both offered more versatility than Hodgins could match. His one-year deal was worth just $1.24 million with no guaranteed money attached, making him one of the easiest cuts on the roster from a financial standpoint even before the football case against him.
Because Hodgins is a vested veteran, he skips waivers entirely and is a free agent the moment the move is official — meaning any of the NFL's other 31 rosters could scoop him up before Week 1 if a receiver room springs an injury. Given his track record in a Giants uniform specifically, it wouldn't be shocking to see a third reunion somewhere down the line if New York's receiver depth takes a hit.
For now, the Giants move on with their younger, higher-upside options at receiver, closing the book on a player who twice wore the uniform and, twice, ran out of chances to keep it.