John Michael Schmitz missed the Giants’ Friday practice before Week 4, being present as his wife gave birth to the couple’s first child. Although the former second-round pick was in uniform for Sunday’s game against the Cardinals, the Giants kept him on the bench. The team used backup Bryan Hudson for all 67 offensive snaps in Week 4. While John Harbaugh cited Schmitz’s chaotic schedule leading up to last week’s game and Hudson’s increased practice work, the new Giants HC confirmed (via the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard) the team was considering using Hudson more offensively anyway. A third-year UDFA, Hudson had not seen any action on offense over New York’s first three games.

“JMS had missed a couple days of practice, and Huddy had been doing so well,” Harbaugh said, though Leonard notes he only missed one day of practice. “We kind of felt like he’s got the reps. He’s made the calls. And we were kind of thinking about starting to work him in a little bit here and there, even some extra line stuff, if possible.

“And it just made sense. I mean, JMS, he’d been up, his wife had the baby. He didn’t have a lot of rest. It just made sense, and I think it paid off. It’s not a long-term thing. I mean, we just have two centers we really like.”

Schmitz has been the Giants’ center starter throughout his career, but the Minnesota product has submitted an uneven body of work on his rookie contract. How the Giants proceed from here will be interesting, as Hudson can be controlled on a UDFA deal through 2028; Schmitz will be a free agent in March.

Here is the latest from the Big Apple’s NFC team:

Once again, Kayvon Thibodeaux trade rumors are emerging. The much-discussed trade candidate — whom the Saints made an offer for this offseason — is now in a contract year, but with Brian Burns out for the season, the Giants should have more opportunities for the fifth-year player. Though, Arvell Reese also has a path to being deployed as a pass rusher — as opposed to a pure ILB, his base role thus far. A Reese-Abdul Carter OLB duo would seemingly form if the Giants trade Thibodeaux, which is on the radar of The Athletic’s Jonathan Jones, but the 3-1 team is not yet in a seller’s position. Big Blue has been a regular deadline seller, and with Burns due back in 2027, Thibodeaux has long profiled as the odd man out. If the Giants do not trade the former No. 5 overall pick before the November 10 deadline, they could try to recoup a mid-round 2028 compensatory pick if he leaves in free agency.
Another reason Thibodeaux could be staying: the health of backup pass rusher Chauncey Golston. A neck injury sustained in Week 4 could keep the second-year Giant out a while, Harbaugh said (via The Athletic’s Dan Duggan). Although Golston is seeking a second opinion, the Giants figure to be down a versatile backup for the foreseeable future. An IR move figures to be in play. The team recently signed Jihad Ward — for a second Giants stint — off the Vikings’ practice squad. Ward also offers inside-outside versatility, offering some protection against a Golston IR stint.
The Giants also restructured Golston’s contract recently. Signed to a three-year deal worth $18MM in March 2025, Golston came over from the Cowboys and has been a part-time player with his second team (though, his 52% snap share in 2026 comes in well above his 27% usage rate last season). Big Blue created $1.68MM in cap space via the restructure, per Spotrac, moving $3.36MM into a signing bonus.
Odell Beckham Jr. is now on a sixth NFL team, joining the Vikings’ practice squad. Harbaugh said recently (via the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy) Beckham’s roster spot was “not doing enough for our offense, not doing enough for our team.” OBJ played just 20 offensive snaps in three games back with the Giants, not catching a pass. The veteran wideout, who has taken two full years off (2022, 2025) before signing with Harbaugh-run teams in each case, is believed to have operated as a mentor figure to fellow LSU alum Malik Nabers during his short stay, Jones adds. The Giants have cut Beckham and Darius Slayton in barely a month.