Olszewski made the initial 53-man roster, which was announced Tuesday afternoon, but was released the following day.

Olszewski played 10 games for the team in 2023 and spent last season on injured reserve. He returned to the Giants early in training camp after Bryce Ford-Wheaton suffered a torn Achilles during practice and was placed on injured reserve.

In 2023, Olszewski was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week in the second-to-last game for the Giants after his 94-yard punt return touchdown against the Rams. It was the second-longest punt return in Giants history and the longest in 95 years.

The punt return touchdown was the second of Olszewski’s career. On Dec. 6, 2020, he scored on a 70-yard runback for the New England Patriots against the Chargers in Los Angeles. In that game, Olszewski returned three punts for 145 yards (48.3-yard avg.), a performance that earned him AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors. He finished that season with a 17.3-yard punt return average that led the NFL and was the highest in Patriots history. Olszewski was selected first-team All-Pro.

Olszewski originally made the roster in New England as an undrafted rookie out of Bemidji State in 2019.

The Giants claimed Payton off waivers from the Saints on Wednesday.

Payton, 6-foot and 182 pounds, signed with the Saints as an undrafted free agent out of Pittsburg State in 2024. In 16 games as a rookie, he racked up 13 special teams tackles (10 solo) and broke up a pass.

Payton spent his final four college seasons at Pittsburg State (Kan.) after starting his career at Southern Illinois. In 2023, he was named a team captain and earned All-Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association honors.

Barnes, 6-1 and 227 pounds, was waived by the New York Jets on Wednesday. The Jets originally selected the Western Michigan product in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Barnes appeared in four games as a rookie but missed all of 2024 with an ankle injury.

Curtis, 6-6 and 330 pounds, was released by the Arizona Cardinals on Monday. Undrafted out of Chattanooga in 2023, Curtis began his career with the Las Vegas Raiders, where he played under current Giants offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo. Curtis also spent time with Seattle, where he appeared in five games over the past two seasons.

Prior to the NFL, Curtis played 49 career games at Chattanooga with 38 starts (30 at right guard, seven at left tackle, and one at left guard). As a senior in 2022, Curtis started all 11 games, seven at left tackle and four at his customary right guard position. He picked up FCS first-team All-American honors and won the Jacobs Blocking Award, given to the top offensive lineman in the Southern Conference.

On Thursday, the Giants added three other players to the practice squad: linebacker Swayze Bozeman, tight end Qadir Ismail and safety Patrick McMorris.

Bozeman, 6-1 and 230 pounds, was waived by the Chicago Bears on Sunday. He spent last season with the Kansas Chiefs as an undrafted rookie out of Southern Mississippi. Bozeman played in the Chiefs’ final six games, including all three in the postseason. He appeared in Super Bowl LIX and recorded two special teams tackles.

Ismail, 6-6 and 232 pounds, was waived by the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday. Ismail originally signed as an undrafted free agent with the Baltimore Ravens in 2024 and spent the majority of the season on the practice squad. He has not appeared in a regular-season game. Ismail started his college career at Villanova before transferring to Samford. His father, Qadry, played 10 seasons in the NFL (1993-2002).

McMorris, 6-foot and 206 pounds, was waived by the Miami Dolphins on Tuesday. A sixth-round pick in the 2024 draft, McMorris played 97 special teams snaps and eight on defense in six games as a rookie. He missed the first 11 games with a foot injury. Prior to the NFL, McMorris transferred to California from San Diego State, where he was a first-team All-Mountain West selection in 2021.