Pat Shurmur expands decision to waive Davis Webb

New York Giants head coach Pat Shurmur expanded Monday on the decision to waive quarterback Davis Webb to make room for other players claimed on waivers Sunday.

Webb's release was surprising after he had worked as the second quarterback behind Eli Manning throughout the offseason, ahead of 2018 fourth-rounder Kyle Lauletta and veteran Alex Tanney, who remain on the roster.

Webb made the initial cut to 53 players, but the Giants claimed six players on Sunday, making one of their four quarterbacks expendable.

"I think I mentioned long ago there was no depth chart behind Eli (Manning)," Shurmur told reporters. "(Webb) got a lot of reps, and I think it was probably that where people start to assume because he's taking second-string reps that he's a second-string quarterback, and it didn't play out that way."

Shurmur didn't elaborate on the reasons that Webb was let go, saying only that the team feels Lauletta and Tanney "are better choices for us now." He added that Webb's draft status -- as a third-round pick in 2017 -- did not a factor as much as many outside the building would have guessed.

"Let's forget for a minute that he was a third-round pick," Shurmur said. "I really do mean that. At some point, that all goes away."

Webb went unclaimed on waivers, meaning he is now free to sign with any team.

As for who will back up Manning, Shurmur wouldn't say, but Lauletta has been listed ahead of Tanney -- a 30-year-old who has appeared in one career game, in 2017 -- on the Giants' depth chart. Shurmur said he is "very comfortable" that Lauletta, who played in college at Richmond, is ready to play in the NFL.

"I like the fact that he'll decide what he's looking at, see it and pull the trigger," Shurmur said of Lauletta. "He's very decisive in what he does. He's a gamer of sorts, and we're looking forward to working with that."

Asked if it's important for the team to have a succession plan for the 37-year-old Manning, Shurmur replied, "At this point, we do right now."

"It's just not what everybody outside our building had predicted the plan was," he added, "and I think that's where all the questions are stemming from."

Meanwhile, Shurmur said tight end Evan Engram is still in the concussion protocol despite practicing on a limited basis on Monday, and the team is "hopeful" the 2017 first-rounder can play in Sunday's opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Engram, who turned 24 on Sunday, was concussed Aug. 24 in the team's third preseason game. He led the team with 64 receptions and six touchdown grabs last season while totaling 722 receiving yards.

Shurmur said the team is also "hopeful" about defensive end Olivier Vernon's availability for Sunday, but he added, "We'll just have to see."

Vernon missed Monday's practice and received treatment in the trainer's room on his ankle, which he injured on Aug. 26. Various reports have said Vernon sprained the ankle and also has a deep bruise. Shurmur said last week that Vernon was day-to-day.

Vernon, who turns 28 next month, has 15.0 sacks in 28 games (all starts) over the past two seasons since joining the Giants on a five-year, $85 million deal in March 2016.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)