The Giants waived RB Paul Perkins on Monday, in order to make room for rookie TE Kaden Smith, who was claimed off waivers after being let go by the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday.

Perkins, a former fifth-round pick in the 2016 draft by the Giants, had previously been inactive for New York in both games to start the season, and missed all of the 2018 season on the reserve/non-injury list after tearing his pectoral muscle last offseason.

The UCLA product played a total of 25 games for the Giants, racking up 546 rushing yards on 153 attempts (3.6 YPA) and another 208 receiving yards on 23 catches.

Smith, who was drafted with the 176th pick in April's draft, joins a crowded tight end room that includes Evan Engram, Rhett Ellison, Garrett Dickerson and Eric Tomlinson.

The 6-foot-5-inch, 249 pound man out of Stanford has yet to see action on the NFL stage, but with all the injuries the Giants have suffered in their receiving corps early on, they'll take the help where they can get it.

Smith has a solid final season at Stanford that propelled him onto NFL draft boards. He earned second-team All-Pac-12 honors in 2018 after catching 47 passes for 635 yards and two touchdowns in 11 games.

With head coach Pat Shurmer not comitting to Eli Manning as the teams' starting quarterback, maybe a rookie connection between Daniel Jones and Smith could be something to look towards as the season wanes on.

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