OL Geoff Schwartz made a brief appearance this year for Big Blue then was injured again. Photo by Al Thompson

GIANTS ANNOUNCE ROSTER MOVES
By Michael Eisen

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The Giants made several roster moves today as injuries continue to take their toll on the team.

Five players were placed on injured reserve: offensive linemen Geoff Schwartz (ankle) and Adam Snyder (knee), defensive ends Mathias Kiwanuka (knee) and Robert Ayers (pectoral), and linebacker Terrell Manning (ankle).

That group increases the number of Giants players on injured reserve to 20, including rookie Bennett Jackson, who is on practice squad/injured list.

Although the Giants placed five players on I.R., they can replace only four on the roster, because Manning was signed last week from the Cincinnati Bengals’ practice squad. According to NFL rules, he cannot be replaced on the 53-man roster for three weeks after moving from a practice squad to the roster, even if he is placed on injured reserve.

The Giants added three players to their roster from the practice squad, guard Eric Herman, defensive tackle Dominique Hamilton and linebacker James Davidson.

The Giants also signed running back Chris Ogbonnaya, who has played in 51 regular-season games for St. Louis, Houston, Cleveland and Carolina with 12 starts. His career totals include 158 carries for 710 yards and two touchdowns. Ogbonnaya played in five games for the Panthers earlier this season and ran for 50 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries. He was released on Nov. 3.

Schwartz was one of the Giants’ major offseason acquisitions. But he missed the season’s first 10 games after dislocating his toe in a preseason game vs. the Jets on Aug. 22. Schwartz made his Giants’ debut at right tackle on Nov. 23 vs. Dallas. He suffered his season-ending injury in the first quarter of the Giants’ loss Sunday in Jacksonville.

Snyder, a 10-year veteran, joined the Giants on Sept. 3. He played in four games, including a start vs. the Cowboys last week. Snyder hurt his knee in that game and was replaced by Weston Richburg – whose place he had taken after the rookie started the first 10 games.

Kiwanuka, the 2006 first-round draft choice who is in his ninth Giants season, did not travel to Jacksonville because of his knee injury. He started the first 11 games this season and had 28 tackles (20 solo), 2.5 sacks and two fumble recoveries. His absence on Sunday ended his streak of 59 consecutive regular-season games played (plus four postseason games). In his career, Kiwanuka has played in 120 regular-season games with 82 starts. He has 38.5 career sacks, which place him eighth on the franchise’s career list.

Ayers was also signed as a free agent last offseason after spending five years with the Denver Broncos. He played in each of the first 12 games, including his first start in Jacksonville in place of Kiwanuka at left end. Ayers is tied with Jason Pierre-Paul for the team lead with five 5.0 sacks. Ayers suffered a torn pectoral muscle in the second half against the Jaguars.

Manning made his Giants’ debut on special teams in Jacksonville, though he was not credited with a tackle. He first signed with the Giants on June 16 and was waived on Aug. 30. Manning played three games early this season for the Chicago Bears.

Herman, 6-4 and 320 pounds, missed the first four games this season while serving a suspension for violating the league’s policy on performance enhancing substances. He was signed to the practice squad at the conclusion of the suspension. Herman was a seventh-round draft choice by the Giants in 2013. He spent the first 16 weeks of the season on the practice squad before joining the active roster on Christmas Day. He was inactive for the season finale vs. Washington.

Hamilton, 6-5 and 334 pounds, has been on the practice squad since Sept. 3. He entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with the Oakland Raiders in 2012. The Missouri product spent most of that season on Washington’s practice squad. In 2013, Hamilton was on the practice squads of both the Redskins and the Kansas City Chiefs. He played in all four of Kansas City’s preseason games before being waived on Aug. 30. Like Herman, he Hamilton has never played in a regular-season game.

Davidson, 6-3 and 242 pounds, was signed to the practice squad on Sept. 16. Davidson was originally signed by the Cincinnati Bengals as a free agent from Texas-El Paso. He was waived on Aug. 27.

*Defensive end/linebacker Paul Hazel was signed to the practice squad. Hazel, 6-5 and 238 pounds, played 13 games for the 2013 Cleveland Browns on special teams, including six in which he also played on defense. He had two special teams tackles. Hazel entered the NFL as a free agent with Jacksonville from Western Michigan. He joined the Browns after being waived by the Jaguars. Hazel was in training camp with the Houston Texans last summer.

*Defensive end Jordan Stanton, who was in training camp with the Giants and was briefly on the practice squad early in the season – his contract was terminated on Sept. 16 – was re-signed to the practice squad. Stanton played at James Madisoin.

*Also joining the practice squad is guard Rishaw Johnson, who played three games with one start last year for the Kansas City Chiefs. He has also spent time with Seattle, Tampa Bay, Dallas and Green Bay. Johnson played at California University of Pennsylvania.