Giants Interviewed Chris Morgan For Staff
In contention for the Jaguars’ quarterbacks coach position, Mike Sullivan will instead land in Pittsburgh. The Steelers are hiring the former Giants and Buccaneers offensive coordinator, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. Sullivan, 53, will replace Matt Canada, who is now the Steelers’ OC. Pittsburgh’s QB coaching role grew in importance recently, with the Steelers giving Dwayne Haskins an opportunity to reboot his career. While Ben Roethlisberger is planning to return for an 18th season, Sullivan will have multiple developmental QBs — Haskins and Mason Rudolph — to mentor. Sullivan has not coached since the 2018 season, when he served as the Broncos’ QBs coach.
- The Steelers will add Chris Morgan as their assistant offensive line coach, per Dan Duggan and Mark Kaboly of The Athletic (Twitter link). Morgan, who also interviewed with the Giants this offseason, spent the past six years as the Falcons’ O-line coach.
Giants Not Planning Deshaun Watson Pursuit
Certainly one of the many teams who would upgrade significantly at quarterback by acquiring Deshaun Watson, the Giants are not expected to entertain that prospect.
The Giants will not pursue Watson, according to ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan (on Twitter). The franchise, as could be expected, is committed to Daniel Jones going forward.
With GM Dave Gettleman having surprised most by pulling the trigger on Jones at No. 6 overall in 2019, it should not surprise the franchise is fully committed to giving the former Duke prospect a third season at the controls. Last month, Gettleman said the Giants have “complete confidence” in Jones. The Giants are also expected to retain OC Jason Garrett, ensuring Jones will not have to play in three offensive systems in his first three seasons.
Jones’ contract runs through 2022, and the Giants will have the 2021 season to determine how they will proceed regarding the quarterback’s fifth-year option. That decision is not due until May 2022. Should the Giants exercise that option, Jones’ 2023 salary becomes fully guaranteed.
The Giants’ offense regressed from 18th in scoring in 2019 to 31st this past season, though their DVOA mark plunged only from 23rd to 26th in this span. Jones threw 24 touchdown passes in 2019 — fourth-most all time among rookie passers — but just 11 in 2020. He leads the NFL in fumbles over the past two seasons, with 29, but did not drop too far in Total QBR from 2019-20. That metric placed Jones 18th in 2019 and 20th in 2020.
Thus far, the Dolphins, Jets and Panthers have been the teams most closely connected to Watson. It will take a historic trade package to pry the three-time Pro Bowler from the Texans, who have continued to insist they are not interested in a deal.
Jason Garrett Expected Back As Giants OC
The Giants dropped from 18th to 31st in scoring offense last season, and Daniel Jones did not make considerable strides. But the team is not planning to make big changes to its offense.
Jason Garrett is expected to stay on as New York’s offensive coordinator, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com notes. Some potential turnover at this position coach level could take place, and Raanan adds assistants like tight ends coach Freddie Kitchens, QBs coach Jerry Schulplinski and wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert may take on increased responsibility. (Tolbert has interviewed for Minnesota’s OC job.) But Garrett will still run the show.
This is not especially surprising. Dave Gettleman said last month, as Garrett interviewed for the Chargers’ HC job, he was “antsy” about the prospect of losing his OC. Keeping Garrett will ensure Jones only has two play-callers in his first three seasons, though the Giants have plenty of improvements to make on offense. Saquon Barkley‘s expected re-emergence will certainly help.
Joe Judge already fired a coach Garrett brought in, ex-Cowboys O-line assistant Marc Colombo, and Raanan adds the new Giants HC’s hands-on approach with the team’s offense caused tension between he and Garrett. Last season was Garrett’s first as a full-time play-caller since 2012.
One of the changes on Big Blue’s staff will be replacing Dave DeGuglielmo. The veteran O-line coach is not expected back, and Raanan notes that the Giants have interviewed ex-Texans O-line coach Mike Devlin and Giants assistant O-line coach Ben Wilkerson for the job.
Vikings To Interview Tyke Tolbert For OC
The Vikings will interview Giants wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert for their offensive coordinator vacancy (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). Tolbert worked closely with recently-retired coordinator Gary Kubiak in Denver, so Tolbert could help the Vikings keep the same system in place.
Tolbert was on Kubiak’s staff during the Broncos’ run to Super Bowl 50. He impressed during his time in Denver, and Kubiak has long lobbied for Tolbert to get his big break.
“He’s an amazing coach, a great person, handles personalities extremely well [and] gets the most out of his players,” Kubiak said in 2016 (via the Broncos’ team website). “So I think that would be an exceptional thought. He’s a heck of a football coach.”
The Vikings were a disappointment on the whole, but that was mostly on the defense. Offensively, the Vikings saw Dalvin Cook rush for 1,557 yards and 16 touchdowns while rookie wide receiver Justin Jefferson showed serious promise. In terms of talent, Tolbert would have tons to work with.
Giants To Sign Jonotthan Harrison
The Giants have inked signed center Jonotthan Harrison to a one-year futures deal worth $2MM, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Typically, reserve/futures contracts are for the bare minimum, but the Giants were willing to go above and beyond for the talented lineman. 
[RELATED: Giants Sign Breeland Speaks To Futures Deal]
Harrison began his career with the Colts and seemed on track for a promising career as a first-stringer. He started in 19 games for Indy between 2014 and 2015, but seemed to regress as time went on. By 2016, he was a backup who graded out as one of the league’s worst interior linemen, according to Pro Football Focus.
In 2017, then-Jets GM Mike Maccagnan inked him to a one year deal. Harrison went on to start in 19 of 40 games over the next three seasons. Then, just before the start of the 2020 season, Joe Douglas jettisoned him from the roster. After spending 2020 with Buffalo’s practice squad, Harrison will return to the Meadowlands and look to prove himself all over again.
Futures contracts are typically for players on the fringe with less-than-stellar odds of making the final cut. However, the Giants may view Harrison as more of an early free agent pickup. He’ll be joined by fellow NFL notable Breeland Speaks — the 2018 second-round choice inked his own reserve/futures deal earlier this month.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/26/21
Here are Tuesday’s reserve/futures deals:
Buffalo Bills
- OL Trey Adams, TE Nate Becker, DT Brandin Bryant, DE Bryan Cox, WR Tanner Gentry, DB Dane Jackson, WR Jake Kumerow, DE Mike Love, DB Josh Thomas, RB Christian Wade, QB Davis Webb, WR Duke Williams
Green Bay Packers
- WR Reggie Begelton, C Jake Hanson, K J.J. Molson, CB KeiVarae Russell, DL Delontae Scott, WR Juwann Winfree
Las Vegas Raiders
- WR Keelan Doss
Miami Dolphins
New York Giants
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/23/21
Here are the latest NFL minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed to reserve/futures deal: WR Deon Cain
Buffalo Bills
- Promoted: CB Dane Jackson
Green Bay Packers
- Promoted: DL Brian Price, CB KeiVarae Russell
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted: WR Marcus Kemp, DB Chris Lammons
New York Giants
- Signed to reserve/futures deal: DB Keith Washington
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: S Javon Hagan, G Ted Larsen
Giants Sign DE Breeland Speaks To Reserve/Futures Deal
A 2018 second-round pick has inked a non-guaranteed futures contract. The Giants announced today that they’ve inked defensive end Breeland Speaks to a reserve/futures deal.
Speaks was selected by the Chiefs with the 46th-overall pick in the 2018 draft. The Ole Miss product had a solid rookie campaign, appearing in all 16 games (with four starts) while collecting 24 tackles, three tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and one forced fumble. Speaks also appeared in a pair of playoff games during his rookie season, compiling a pair of tackles.
He missed the 2019 season due to a knee injury, and while sitting on IR, he was suspended four games after violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy. Speaks was reinstated late during the 2019 campaign and landed back on IR, and he ultimately won a ring after the Chiefs defeated the 49ers in Super Bowl LIV.
Speaks was waived at the end of the 2020 preseason, and he jumped around the NFL a bit during the regular season. Following a stint with the Raiders practice squad in October, the 25-year-old ended the season on the Cowboys’ taxi squad.
Speaks will sit on the Giants’ 90-man offseason roster with a non-guaranteed deal, and the pact guarantees that he won’t be scooped up by another squad. Teams are only allowed to use reserve/futures deals on players who weren’t on an active roster at the end of the 2020 regular season.
Coaching Rumors: 49ers, Chargers, Jaguars, Eagles
The 49ers‘ staff is starting to come together, as Matt Barrows of The Athletic writes. Chris Foerster has been bumped up to primary offensive line coach while Rich Scangarello will return as the quarterbacks coach. Scangarello served as SF’s QBs coach in 2017 and 2018 before the Broncos tapped him as their OC in 2019. After a rough time in Denver and one year in Philly, he’s headed back to the Bay Area.
Here’s a look at the latest coach and coordinator news:
- The Chargers will interview Colts defensive backs coach Jonathan Gannon for their defensive coordinator job, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Gannon is also being considered by the Bears for their DC role.
- Meanwhile, new Chargers coach Brandon Staley is bringing Rams assistant Joe Barry along for the ride as his defensive passing game coordinator and linebackers coach (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com).
- The Jaguars have requested an interview with Colts quarterbacks coach Marcus Brady for their offensive coordinator job, as Pelissero tweets.
- The Eagles are interested in interviewing Cowboys special teams coach John Fassel, according to Marcus Hayes of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). Fassel, the son of ex-Giants head coach Jim Fassel, spent eight years as the Rams’ ST coordinator. He also served as the Rams’ interim head coach for the final three games of 2016.
Giants, Dave DeGuglielmo To Part Ways
- The Giants became the second team in two years to call on Dave DeGuglielmo as a late replacement as an offensive line coach, but the arrangement looks to have been temporary. Like the Dolphins last year, the Giants will not look to retain DeGuglielmo for a second season. They are searching for a new O-line coach, Dan Duggan of The Athletic tweets. DeGuglielmo came to New York on an interim basis to replace Marc Colombo, whom Joe Judge fired this season.