Giants’ roster shakeup: RB Najee Harris and OLB Jihad Ward released in Tuesday moves

New York cleared roster space on October 20 by terminating Najee Harris and Jihad Ward, while also continuing a sequence of practice-squad transactions that included OLB Trace Ford.

By The Apex Times Newsroom1 min readAI-assisted Apex article

The New York Giants made a pair of veteran releases on Tuesday, October 20, terminating the contracts of running back Najee Harris and linebacker Jihad Ward. In both cases, the team listed the moves as “terminated, vested veteran, all contracts,” a designation that points to an off-roster reset rather than an injury-related placement.

Alongside those releases, the Giants continued to reshuffle their defensive depth and special teams options through practice-squad activity. The team’s transaction tracker shows OLB Trace Ford was elevated earlier in the month through standard practice-squad elevations, then signed as a free agent from the Giants’ practice squad on October 20.

The Giants’ broader Week 7 transaction activity also included additional practice-squad changes earlier in October, reflecting a roster-management approach that has frequently cycled players between the practice squad and the active roster as the season progressed.

Why It Matters

Releasing Harris and Ward changes the Giants’ veteran personnel footprint and opens roster spots for new active-roster options.
The continued practice-squad elevations tied to Trace Ford indicate New York is using short-term roster flexibility to address game-to-game needs.
Because these were contract terminations rather than reserve/injury designations, the moves report a full personnel reset for the affected players rather than a temporary status change.

Sources

Key Facts

On October 20, the Giants terminated RB Najee Harris’ vested-veteran contract, with all contracts terminated.
On October 20, the Giants terminated OLB Jihad Ward’s vested-veteran contract, with all contracts terminated.
The Giants’ transaction tracker lists OLB Trace Ford as a free-agent signing from the Giants’ practice squad on October 20.
Trace Ford had previously been activated from the practice squad multiple times via standard elevations earlier in October (listed in the Giants’ tracker).