Giants Interested In Kenny Golladay?
The Giants have their top three receivers from the past two seasons — Sterling Shepard, Golden Tate and Darius Slayton — under contract for 2021, but they are expected to show interest in a higher-profile pass catcher.
Should the Lions let Kenny Golladay hit the market, many around the league expect the Giants to pursue the Pro Bowl target, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv notes. The Giants discussed Golladay with the Lions before last year’s trade deadline, despite having just one win at the time, but the Lions held onto their No. 1 receiver. Golladay, however, missed most of the season due to injury.
Golladay’s availability will obviously factor into any team’s pursuit. A franchise tag for the four-year veteran is firmly on the table, despite the Lions having traded Matthew Stafford and overhauled their front office and coaching staff this offseason. The former third-round pick missed 11 games last season because of hamstring and hip injuries but averaged an NFL-high 18.3 yards per catch in 2019, doing so with Stafford missing half that season.
The Giants are expected to part ways with Tate at some point soon. No guaranteed money remains on the veteran’s deal, which calls for a $10.9MM cap number. Tate’s former Lions teammate would be a target to monitor, though the two-time 1,000-yard receiver may only be available through a tag-and-trade scenario. A receiver tag is expected to cost north of $16MM.
As of mid-February, the Giants are less than $1MM under the projected $180MM cap. They have Leonard Williams and Dalvin Tomlinson on track for free agency, with the former set to command big money after a breakthrough season in his first full year with the Giants. The team also has an edge rusher need yet again. But the Giants’ offense regressed to 31st in points scored last season, and its Daniel Jones plan may require more help for the young quarterback.
Should Golladay not hit the market, several other big-name receivers will. Former Dave Gettleman Panthers draftee Curtis Samuel is a free agent-to-be. Even if Chris Godwin and Allen Robinson are tagged, the likes of Will Fuller, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Corey Davis, T.Y. Hilton, Marvin Jones and A.J. Green are some of the names set to be free agents. The 2021 draft is also expected to be heavy on wideout talent, continuing a recent trend.
Eagles Claim CB Shakial Taylor
The Eagles have claimed a player from a division rival. The team announced that they’ve claimed cornerback Shakial Taylor off of waivers from the Giants.
The 24-year-old was acquired by the Giants last offseason, and he ultimately opted out of the 2020 campaign with a high-risk designation. The Giants initially attempted to waive the cornerback, but he eventually reverted to their reserve list for the entire season. The Giants ended up waiving Taylor earlier this week.
The 2019 undrafted free agent out of Kansas has also spent time with the Colts and Broncos. He saw time in five games for Indy during his rookie campaign, collecting seven tackles and one pass defended. He garnered a three-year, $1.76MM deal from the Broncos during the 2020 offseason, but he was cut by the time prior to the preseason.
Taylor will have some familiarity with the Eagles, as he played under current defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon during the duo’s time in Indy. Gannon previously served as the Colts cornerbacks coach.
Coaching Notes: Kitchens, 49ers, Bucs
Freddie Kitchens will see his role expand in New York. The Giants are promoting the former Browns HC from tight ends coach to senior offensive assistant, according to ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan (on Twitter). Earlier this month, we heard the Giants may be eyeing more responsibility for Kitchens. Derek Dooley, who received interest from other teams, will take over as the Giants’ tight ends coach, Raanan adds. Previously the Mizzou offensive coordinator, Dooley joined Joe Judge‘s staff last year. The Giants used Kitchens as their interim play-caller while Jason Garrett battled COVID-19 last season and will lean on him more in 2021.
Here is the latest from the coaching circuit:
- To replace Antwaan Randle El on their coaching staff, the Buccaneers will also turn to a recently retired quarterback. Thad Lewis will rise from intern to offensive assistant on Bruce Arians‘ staff, Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. Randle El left to become the Lions’ wide receivers coach. Lewis bounced around the NFL for nearly eight years; he was most recently with the Ravens in 2017.
- A day after hiring Jay Valai as cornerbacks coach, the Eagles will lose him. Alabama will instead hire Valai, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg (on Twitter). Announced as one of the Eagles’ hires earlier this week, Valai will join former Texans HC Bill O’Brien at Alabama. Valai will replace Karl Scott as the Crimson Tide’s cornerbacks coach. Scott joined the Vikings’ staff this week.
- Hired recently after a one-year stint as Lions DC, Cory Undlin will serve as the 49ers‘ secondary coach and defensive passing-game specialist. Fellow former DC James Bettcher will be a senior defensive assistant and the team’s run-game overseer on that side of the ball. The 49ers are promoting Darryl Tapp to assistant defensive line coach and hiring former wide receiver Leonard Hankerson and Klay Kubiak as quality control assistants. Klay is one of Gary Kubiak‘s sons. Even after Gary’s retirement, there are still three Kubiaks in the NFL — Klay and brothers Klint (the new Vikings OC) and Klein (a Cowboys scout). Hankerson also has a history with Kyle Shanahan, having played with Washington from 2011-13.
- The Bengals hired Justin Hill as running backs coach. Hill will come to Cincinnati from the college ranks, having spent the past six seasons as Tulsa’s running backs coach. This will be his first NFL job. The Bengals are also promoting former NFL wideout Troy Walters to receivers coach. Walters served as Cincy’s assistant wideouts coach last season, working under Bob Bicknell.
- Robert Saleh made an interesting hire recently. The new Jets HC added Steve Scarnecchia as his chief of staff, per Brian Costello of the New York Daily News. The son of longtime Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia, Steve spent the past six years as the Falcons’ assistant to the head coach. Steve Scarnecchia was part of both the Patriots’ Spygate scandal, working in the team’s video department from 2001-04, and was the Broncos staffer whose filming of a 49ers walkthrough in 2010 led to Josh McDaniels‘ firing in Denver. The younger Scarnecchia will accompany new Jets DC Jeff Ulbrich in moving from Atlanta to New York.
Minor NFL Transactions: 2/12/21
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: DT Woodrow Hamilton
- Waived/failed physical: S Natrell Jamerson
New York Giants
- Waived: WR Da’Mari Scott, CB Shakial Taylor
San Francisco 49ers
- Re-signed: WR River Cracraft
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed to futures deals: RB C.J. Prosise, DT Sam Renner, C Donell Stanley
Giants Agree To Terms With OL Coach
- The Giants intend to hire Rob Sale to be their next offensive line coach, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Sale spent the past three seasons as Louisiana’s offensive coordinator. He has a history with Joe Judge. The two coached at Alabama together from 2009-11.
- Sale will replace Dave DeGuglielmo, who will head to Louisiana himself. After 17 seasons in the NFL, DeGuglielmo agreed to become the offensive line coach at Louisiana Tech, Cory Diaz of the Monroe (La.) News-Star notes. DeGuglielmo, who collected a Super Bowl ring with the 2014 Patriots, was an emergency replacement for the Dolphins in 2019 and Giants in 2020. The Giants opted not to bring him back on a full-time basis.
Giants QB Alex Tanney To Retire
Despite agreeing to a reserve/futures contract with the Giants last month, Alex Tanney will step away from the game. The veteran reserve quarterback announced his retirement Tuesday.
Although Tanney, 33, did not end up seeing much game work during his career, he hung around for nine NFL seasons. The Division III product’s run included time with the Chiefs, Cowboys, Browns, Buccaneers, Titans, Bills, Colts and Giants.
Originally a 2012 UDFA with the Chiefs, after compiling a trick-shot highlight reel as a prospect, Tanney spent the past three seasons with the Giants. Initially signing with New York in May 2018, Tanney spent time with the team during the Pat Shurmur and Joe Judge regimes.
The Giants exercised his option in March of 2020 but ended up cutting him ahead of the regular season. However, the Monmouth (Ill.) alum made his way back to the team in early December, when Daniel Jones battled injuries, and stuck around until season’s end.
Tanney did not take many game snaps in his career but did complete 11 of the 15 passes he threw. Fourteen of those throws came in a Week 17 game with the 2015 Titans, with whom he threw his only career touchdown pass — a 5-yarder to Dorial Green-Beckham.
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.