QB Rumors: Trubisky, Winston, Taylor, Lock
The Giants’ new head coach, Brian Daboll, worked with free agent quarterback Mitchell Trubisky when they were both with the Bills last year (Daboll as offensive coordinator). Well, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN, Daboll has interest in luring Trubisky to join him in New York.
There’s been some interest in bringing Trubisky to Pittsburgh, as well, where a path to starting is much more clear. If Daboll’s familiarity with the sixth-year quarterback is able to attract him to the Giants, though, the head coach sees the potential for him to mirror the results of Ryan Tannehill in Tennessee. A quick refresher: Tannehill arrived in Nashville in 2019 in a trade with the Dolphins. Tannehill started the season in the role of back up quarterback to the incumbent starter Marcus Mariota. After a 2-4 start to the season, Mariota was benched in favor of Tannehill, who went 7-3 for the rest of the year and led the Titans to the AFC Championship Game.
Daboll holds hope that, while Daniel Jones may retain the starting job in New York, if the need presents itself, Trubisky could provide the same effect as Tannehill.
Some other notes concerning quarterbacks around the league:
- Another option the Steelers could be looking into, Jameis Winston is looking like the most likely starting quarterback for the Saints in 2022, according to Graziano. With Teddy Bridgewater headed to free agency, a return to New Orleans could be possible, and Winston may see some opportunities in testing the free agent market, himself. But Winston is a locker room favorite that saw success on the Saints before tearing his ACL midseason last year.
- Tyrod Taylor lost the starting job in Houston last year to rookie quarterback Davis Mills. With Mills expected to return to the starting position next year, the Texans do have interest in bringing Taylor back in the role of back up quarterback, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Taylor has chased starting jobs throughout his career and has seen some success at times. He may search for a new opportunity to start, but, if not, Taylor has shown professionalism several times in back up roles mentoring young quarterbacks.
- After receiving Drew Lock in the Russell Wilson-trade with the Broncos, Seattle is considering the elements to Lock’s lack of success in Denver, according to Fowler. Some believe that the revolving door of offensive coordinators contributed to his struggles. Seattle is analyzing whether they believe in Pete Carroll‘s ability to develop Lock, who showed glimpses of promise in his early appearances as a Bronco, or whether they need to make moves for Deshaun Watson to win now.
Contract Details: Reynolds, Shepard, Martinez
Here’s another detailed look at a deal done this week, as well as some information on some contract restructuring in New York:
- Josh Reynolds, WR (Lions): Two-year, $6MM. The contract has a guaranteed amount of $2.7MM, including a $1.5MM signing bonus and the full 2022 salary of $1.2MM, according to Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network. Reynolds can really see a payday in 2023. That year of his deal has a base value of $1.8MM, a $1MM roster bonus activated on the third day of the 2023 league year, and $400,000 for the year in per game active bonuses (around $23,529 per game). The deal also holds $2MM of annual incentives based on catches, yards, and touchdowns as well as an additional $2MM incentive in 2023 based on team achievements, playoffs, and stats.
- The Giants recently came to agreements with wide receiver Sterling Shepard and linebacker Blake Martinez to restructure their contracts. The Athletic reporter Dan Duggan confirmed on Twitter that both deals are worth roughly $2.25MM in 2022 with incentives that can push the value up to about $5MM. The intention was to lower the two veterans’ cap hits and they will do that, dropping Martinez’s cap number from $14MM to about $8MM and Shepard’s number from $12.4MM to about $6.5MM.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/12/22
Here are today’s minor roster moves around the NFL:
Miami Dolphins
- Re-Signed: DB Elijah Campbell
New York Giants
- Released: P Riley Dixon
Blake Martinez Takes Pay Cut To Stay With Giants
The negotiations between the Giants and linebacker Blake Martinez have resulted in a new deal. Paul Schwartz of the New York Post reports that the veteran will be staying with the team, but at a reduced salary. 
Earlier this week, the two sides discussed a re-working of his deal, as part of the wider need for the Giants to shed 2022 expenses. Martinez was due to make $8.525MM (the amount the team would save with a release), but carry a cap hit of just over $14MM. That led to the possibility he could be let go, but now he will stay in the Big Apple – unlike a number of veterans who have been cut in recent days.
The 28-year-old joined the Giants in 2020 after four seasons in Green Bay, including three as a starter. Between 2017 and 2019, the former fourth rounder totalled 443 tackles, nine sacks and a pair of interceptions. He delivered a similar performance in his first campaign in New York with 151 stops, two forced fumbles and five pass deflections.
Unfortunately, a torn ACL limited Martinez to just three games in 2021. His absence was felt on a Giants defense that allowed 129 rushing yards per game, which ranked 25th in the league. With him still in the fold, however, much of the cap gymnastics general manager Joe Shoen faced upon his arrival has taken place. The biggest remaining question on the roster now pertains to James Bradberry. Given the team’s need to cut costs, the highly regarded cornerback has been the subject of trade interest from a number of teams. Much of what Schoen does in free agency will depend on the organization’s handling of Bradberry’s contract.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/11/22
Here are today’s minor roster moves around the NFL:
Chicago Bears
- Assigned from waivers: RB Darrynton Evans
Cincinnati Bengals
- Re-Signed: LB Joe Bachie
Dallas Cowboys
- Released: WR Robert Foster
- Waived: CB Reggie Robinson and RB Ito Smith
Houston Texans
- Re-Signed: QB Jeff Driskel and OL Carson Green
Las Vegas Raiders
- Re-Signed: OT Jackson Barton
New York Giants
- Waived: TE Kaden Smith
- Re-Signed: WR David Sills
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Re-Signed: S Miles Killebrew
San Francisco 49ers
- Re-Signed: LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles
Giants Restructure WR Sterling Shepard’s Contract
The Giants’ longest-tenured player is sticking around for at least another season. According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (via Twitter), the Giants have reached an agreement on a restructured deal with wideout Sterling Shepard.
While we don’t have full details on Shepard’s pay cut, we have learned that the two sides chopped a year off the player’s contract. Shepard was originally signed through the 2023 season, but Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv tweets that the restructure will see the final season wiped off that deal. As a result, 2022 will now be the final year of the receiver’s contract.
We heard recently that the Giants were asking the former second-round pick to take a significant pay cut as part of the team’s larger cost-cutting agenda. Shepard reportedly wasn’t a fan of that idea, but the two sides apparently came to a compromise. The receiver was set to earn a salary of $8.5MM next season.
When healthy, Shepard has been Daniel Jones‘ favorite target, but injury troubles (such as the torn Achilles he is currently rehabbing) have landed the wideout in this financial situation. Shepard seemed to be coming into his own in 2018 when he finished with 872 receiving yards. However, he’s missed 20 games over the past three seasons, including 10 in 2021. He ultimately finished last season with 36 receptions for 366 yards and one touchdown.
Latest On Giants’ Sterling Shepard, Evan Engram
With new management in place and a difficult cap situation to handle, there is sure to be plenty of roster turnover for the Giants in the coming days. Two of the biggest names to watch are Sterling Shepard and Evan Engram, players whom the team have very different levels of interest in keeping. 
It was reported last week that the Giants are asking the former to take a significant pay cut as part of the team’s larger cost-cutting agenda. Dan Duggan of The Athletic reports, however, that the 29-year-old won’t accept the financial hit, at least to the degree the team has proposed (subscription required). His salary is currently set to be $8.5MM, but a drop all the way to the $1.1MM veteran minimum is therefore off the table.
Duggan adds that there is “mutual interest” for the former second-rounder to stay in New York, his only home in six seasons spent in the NFL. He reports that the parties “have been trying to find a middle ground” with regard to compensation so he can stay. When healthy, Shepard has been Daniel Jones‘ favorite target, but injury troubles (such as the torn Achilles he is currently rehabbing) have landed the wideout in this situation.
As for Engram, Duggan reiterates the notion that he is headed elsewhere in free agency. Whether teams view him as strictly a tight end, or as someone capable of lining up as a slot receiver will be key to how much his market develops. Duggan notes that he’s heard a wide range of possibilities for the 27-year-old in terms of the value of a new contract, from a short-term deal around $7MM or $8MM, to the longer, more valuable pacts signed by the likes of Jonnu Smith last year. Interestingly, he names the Bills as potentially being “a top suitor for Engram”.
With more work to be done to get under the cap, there are still plenty of moving parts for the Giants to handle. The situations with Shepard and Engram will go a long way to determining the rest of the team’s offseason, and in turn, their long-term roster re-tooling.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/9/22
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Atlanta Falcons
- Released: OLB Duke Ejiofor
Carolina Panthers
- Re-signed: LB Julian Stanford
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Re-Signed: LB Tyrell Adams
Minnesota Vikings
- Re-signed: DT T.Y. McGill
New York Giants
- Signed: OT Matt Gono
New York Jets
- Re-Signed: OL Conor McDermott
San Francisco 49ers
- Re-signed: OL Jake Brendel
Tennessee Titans
- Re-Signed: WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, DT Teair Tart, QB Logan Woodside
Giants Favorite For QB Mitchell Trubisky?
Mitchell Trubisky could be heading to New York. A team source who is “in the thick of it for a competitive backup QB in free agency” believes that Trubisky will ultimately sign with the Giants and compete with Daniel Jones for the starting gig, according to Charles Robinson of Yahoo (via Twitter).
[RELATED: Giants Likely To Target Mitchell Trubisky]
During a recent appearance on the Adam Schefter podcast, Trubisky spoke highly of the Giants and new head coach Brian Daboll, who the veteran QB worked under in Buffalo.
“I think of Coach Daboll right away because of my connection with him in Buffalo. I’m excited to see what he does in New York, really,” Trubisky said (via ESPN’s Jordan Raanan). “I don’t know where I’m going to go, but I know whatever he does there, he’s going to do a great job with that offense. He’s a great leader of men. He’s just real and authentic with all the guys, and I think that is why so many people respected him in our building. So I’m excited to see what he’s going to do.
“And then, of course, New York, you think of the city. I haven’t been to New York that many times, but you think of big New York City and the Giants. So I know Coach Daboll will do a great job, and I’m excited to see that offense.”
We heard last week that Trubisky was on the Giants radar, but they weren’t necessarily considered the favorite at that time. We also recently heard that the former second-overall pick was “creating a lot of buzz” and would likely have a number of suitors pursuing him. After spending the 2021 season as Josh Allen‘s backup in Buffalo, Trubisky will likely have opportunities to compete for a starting gig elsewhere.
According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler, Trubisky’s market could get so hot that the QB could end up earning more than $10MM annually. The ESPN duo also mention the Panthers and Steelers as potential landing spots, and they note that an organization deciding to pair Trubisky “with a first-round quarterback such as Malik Willis wouldn’t shock a few teams.”
While Trubisky isn’t a sexy name, you can still see the semblance of a capable quarterback when you squint. He had a 29-21 record as a starter, and he tossed 64 touchdowns vs 37 interceptions during his four years in Chicago. Any suitors surely wouldn’t guarantee Trubisky a starting gig, but he would make sense to pair with a rookie or unproven young player.
Latest On Giants’ Evan Engram
Teams have interest in Giants tight end Evan Engram as a slot WR, in addition to his native tight end position (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). With that, Engram’s market could be shaping up to be even stronger than previously expected. 
[RELATED: Giants Likely To Target Trubisky]
Engram has plus speed and agility for a tight end, so these teams believe that he’d be a matchup nightmare as a WR3. The Giants, meanwhile, seem to have cooled on the idea of keeping him. The new regime won’t break the bank to retain the former Pro Bowler, which means that he’ll likely be moving on when free agency opens next week.
Engram, a 2017 first-round pick, has had a rocky five years with the Giants. Limited to just 19 games between 2018 and ’19, he turned in a healthy and productive 2020. That year, he played in all 16 games and tallied 63 catches for 654 yards and one touchdown (plus a rushing TD), earning his first Pro Bowl nod. He stayed healthy for the most part last year, though his numbers sagged along with everyone else on the G-Men. Last year, he finished out with 45 catches, a career-low 404 receiving yards, and just three TDs.
Now that Dalton Schultz and Mike Gesicki have received the franchise tag, Engram profiles as a top-tier TE in this year’s class, along with Rob Gronkowski and Zach Ertz. Unlike those veterans, Engram offers youth and, perhaps, is the only one versatile or willing enough to line up in the slot.