Tom Coughlin was emphatic when speaking about Weston Richburg last month at the NFL combine.
“He is a center,’’ Coughlin said.
That did not bode well for J.D. Walton, a veteran who started every game in 2014 at center for the Giants.
Indeed, Richburg is a center – the Giants’ new starting center. The Giants released Walton on Monday, saving $3 million on their salary cap.
Walton was signed as a free agent a year ago, coming off serious ankle injuries that limited him to four games in a two-year span with the Broncos after starting all 16 games in both 2010 and 2011. Walton, 27, proved he was healthy and durable in his one year with the Giants, not missing any action.
Richburg, a 2014 second-round draft pick out of Colorado State, started 15 games as a rookie at left guard, playing out of position and at times struggling – he was benched for the Nov. 23 game against the Cowboys. With the growing pains behind him at guard, Richburg gets to slide inside to center, where he has years of experience at Colorado State.
As insurance and depth behind Richburg, the Giants re-signed Dallas Reynolds, who can play center and guard. They also signed Brett Jones, considered the best center in the Canadian Football League.