Eric Tomlinson doesn’t have to move very far. A day after being cut by the Jets, the tight end is being signed by the Giants, the team announced today.
To make room for Tomlinson on the 53-man roster, the Giants placed second-year cornerback Sam Beal on injured reserve. The Giants took Beal in the third-round of the 2018 Supplemental Draft, and he’s yet to appear in a game for them. Beal was a highly regarded prospect coming out of Western Michigan, but had shoulder surgery that knocked him out for his entire rookie season. There was some talk that Beal could start in 2019, but a hamstring issue cost him most of training camp and the entire preseason. Since he was placed on IR after the initial cut to 53, Beal will be eligible to be activated after eight weeks.
An undrafted free agent out of UTEP in 2015, Tomlinson latched on with the Jets in 2016 after stints on a couple of practice squads. He worked mainly as a blocker for the Jets, registering 29 starts over the past three seasons. Over the past two years he caught 16 passes for 193 yards and a touchdown. The Giants have Evan Engram firmly entrenched as the starting tight end, so Tomlinson will likely only be used as a blocker and on special teams here as well.
What a complete waste Beal was. To forfeit a 3rd round pick and get two years of nothing from this guy. 3rd round picked wasted in 2017 on Webb, and 4th last year wasted on Lauletta. They need to be smarter with these picks.