Minor NFL Transactions: 9/2/20
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: QB Kyle Lauletta
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: LB James Onwualu
- Waived/injured: WR Tommylee Lewis
Dallas Cowboys
- Waived: T Pace Murphy, TE Charlie Taumoepeau, QB Clayton Thorson
- Waived/injured: OT Mitch Hyatt, OT Wyatt Miller
Denver Broncos
- Acquired via trade: 2021 7th-Round Pick (from Giants)
Minnesota Vikings
- Waived: RB Tony Brooks-James, LB Jordan Fehr, TE Stacy Keely, LB Quentin Poling, DE Anthony Zettel
- Placed on IR: DE Kenny Willekes
New York Giants
- Acquired via trade: CB Isaac Yiadom
- Signed: C Jon Halapio, WR Johnny Holton, LS Carson Tinker
- Waived: S Jaquarius Landrews, OL Jackson Dennis
- Waived/injured: TE Rysen John
New York Jets
- Signed: RB Pete Guerriero
- Waived: LB B.J. Bello, DL Sterling Johnson
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DE Cameron Malveaux
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: S Doug Middleton
- Waived: G Avery Gennesy
Details On Giants' Logan Ryan Deal
- Logan Ryan‘s Giants deal is a one-year pact worth $5MM in base value, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes. The extra $2.5MM in Ryan’s contract comes through incentives. A playing-time structure covers $1.5MM of the incentives, with Florio adding that Ryan can earn up to $1.5MM through these escalators. Ryan would earn that sum if he plays 90% of the Giants’ snaps, however, and it would take an 80% snap rate for him to collect $1MM. The other $1MM in this deal involves accolades, with Ryan receiving $500K for a Pro Bowl honor and another $500K for an All-Pro nod. The seven-year veteran has never made a Pro Bowl.
- DeAndre Baker‘s arraignment date has been moved back four months, with the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard reporting the Giants cornerback is now set to appear in court Jan. 20, 2021. This could potentially close the book on Baker’s 2020 season. A 2019 first-round pick, Baker faces four charges of armed robbery with a firearm. He resides on the commissioner’s exempt list.
Giants Work Out Jon Halapio, Jaron Brown
The door appears to remain open for Jon Halapio to return to the Giants. The team worked out its Week 1 center starter of the past two years on Monday, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com tweets.
Wideouts Jaron Brown, Johnny Holton, and quarterback Jalan McClendon also auditioned for the Giants today. Halapio, however, has the most recent track record as a starter.
After letting Weston Richburg walk in 2018, the Giants turned to Halapio at center. He started two games for the Giants in 2018, but a broken leg ended his season. The former sixth-round Patriots pick then started 15 games last season, but a Week 17 Achilles tear clouded his NFL future. The Giants did not tender him as a restricted free agent this offseason.
Halapio, 29, worked out for the Texans last week. Big Blue has held a Nick Gates–Spencer Pulley competition at center during training camp. Joe Judge called this competition “scratch even” last week. Halapio played over both when healthy the past two seasons. The Giants, however, gave Gates an extension earlier this year.
The 49ers signed Brown earlier this month but released him last week. He has played seven NFL seasons — five with the Cardinals, two with the Seahawks. The Giants are fairly set at wide receiver — at least, among their top three — but lost wideout/special-teamer Cody Core to a season-ending injury. Brown, 30, has started 18 career games. The 6-foot-3 target has mostly been a depth player in his career. Last season, he caught 16 passes for 220 yards and two TDs with Seattle.
Logan Ryan To Sign With Giants
The Giants are adding a big name to their secondary. Logan Ryan agreed to terms on a one-year, $7.5MM deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
While the value is not quite what Ryan hoped for earlier this offseason, it represents a nice payday for a player who spent more than five months in free agency. Ryan, who changed agents over the weekend, will also return to his native New Jersey for his eighth NFL season.
Earlier Monday, Ryan was reported to have interest in joining the Giants, who had been monitoring his market for a while. This will take one of the top free agents off the market. Although Ryan will have less than two weeks with his new team before Week 1, he has a history with new Giants head coach Joe Judge and DC Patrick Graham. Both were in New England during Ryan’s four-year Patriots tenure.
Ryan’s fit will be interesting, because the Giants could use help at multiple spots. The former Patriots and Titans slot defender recently marketed himself as a safety, citing his cornerback-most 113 tackles last season as a selling point. The Giants, though, saw Sam Beal opt out and DeAndre Baker land on the commissioner’s exempt list. But second-round pick Xavier McKinney, an expected safety starter, suffered a broken foot. Ryan saw far more time at slot corner than safety in 2019. Regardless, the Rutgers product will be expected to be a full-time player for the Giants this season.
The 29-year-old defender intercepted four passes last season and has 17 career picks; 13 of those came with the Patriots. The Jets were close to a deal with Ryan earlier this year, and the Dolphins expressed interest in adding another ex-Patriot to their roster. The Ravens were also moderately interested, though Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic tweets Baltimore was not prepared to pay $7.5MM. But the Giants won out and will help their needy defense with a player who may play a versatile role in 2020.
The Giants ranked 31st in pass-defense DVOA last season. They have now added Ryan and James Bradberry to their secondary, which could include McKinney during the season’s second half. He looms as an IR-return candidate. While questions remain about Big Blue’s pass rush, their secondary looks to be upgraded.
Prince Amukamara Interested In Giants Reunion
The Raiders released Prince Amukamara earlier on Monday. The veteran cornerback is eyeing a reunion with a team that features a greater need at the position.
Amukamara would like to rejoin the Giants, telling the New York Post’s Steve Serby “it would be awesome” to return to New York and join the team that drafted him. Considering the Giants have changed coaches three times since Amukamara last played for the team, it is not certain the franchise views him returning in a similar light. But the Giants undeniably need help in the secondary.
The Giants have needed cornerback help for a bit now, with DeAndre Baker on the commissioner’s exempt list. The team that carried DVOA’s No. 31 pass defense last year also saw third-year contributor Sam Beal opt out last month. Logan Ryan has surfaced on the Giants’ radar and looks to have interest in signing, though his price tag has been an issue for teams since he entered free agency. At this stage of his career, Amukamara would be a much cheaper option. Ryan has also marketed himself as a safety, whereas Amukamara is a pure corner.
Moving to the Jaguars and Bears following his five-season Giants tenure, the former first-round pick signed a one-year deal for the veteran minimum with the Raiders. The Bears made him a cap casualty in February. The 31-year-old defender has been a full-time starter since 2012 and still views himself as a “top-64 corner” in the league, per Serby.
Mutual Interest Between Giants, Logan Ryan
With issues at cornerback, safety and outside linebacker, the Giants are set to again enter Week 1 with major questions about their pass defense. But they may be eyeing 11th-hour help.
The Giants have been eyeing Logan Ryan for months, and Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com notes the free agent defensive back has interest in signing with the NFC’s Big Apple franchise (Twitter link).
Ryan has carried a high price tag this offseason, which has led to his lengthy stay in free agency. Earlier this year, Ryan was reported to be seeking a $10MM-AAV deal. No team appeared willing to pay that price. However, the veteran slot cornerback has recently marketed himself as a safety and changed agents.
The Giants are down cornerback DeAndre Baker (on the commissioner’s exempt list) and rookie safety Xavier McKinney (broken foot). Ryan would help Big Blue’s secondary, potentially in multiple capacities.
Ryan, 29, has a history with both Joe Judge and new Giants DC Patrick Graham. Judge was on New England’s staff throughout Ryan’s four-season tenure, while Graham was there for Ryan’s first three NFL seasons.
Although the Giants hold more than $22MM in cap space, Raanan adds they will not splurge for Ryan. The team handed out some big deals in free agency this year — to James Bradberry and Blake Martinez — but has held firm on further upgrades to its defense. The Giants laid back on the edge rusher market in March and have not expressed interest in Jadeveon Clowney, despite the Pro Bowler’s reported interest in a New York stay.
Ryan has played seven seasons with the Patriots and Titans. He led all corners last season, by a significant margin, with 113 tackles and graded as one of the top slot defenders, per Pro Football Focus. The Giants ranked 31st in pass-defense DVOA last season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/29/20
Here are Saturday’s minor moves:
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DE T.J. Carter, DE Anthony Lanier, LB Wynton McManis
- Waived: T Darrin Paulo
- Waived/injured: DT Jalen Dalton
New York Giants
- Signed: CB KeiVarae Russell
- Waived: DB Christian Angulo, RB Javon Leake
San Francisco 49ers
- Claimed (from Steelers): DE James Lockhart
- Signed: TE MarQueis Gray, OL Dakoda Shepley
- Waived: OL Kofi Amichia, TE Erik Swoope
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/28/20
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves in this post. In addition to the transactions listed below, note that Broncos DT Joel Heath and Giants CB Shakial Taylor, who had previously been listed as cut, actually opted out of the 2020 season. As Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network tweets, both players were reinstated to their teams’ rosters and placed on the Reserve/Opt-Out List. The full (and final) opt-out tracker can be found here:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: RB Ty’Son Williams
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: CB Brian Allen
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: CB Jameson Houston, DE Austin Larkin
- Waived: DE DaVonte Lambert, CB Cole Luke
New England Patriots
- Signed: WR Andre Baccellia
- Waived: WR Will Hastings
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: LB Wynton McManis
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: WR Saeed Blacknall
- Placed on IR: WR Anthony Johnson
- Waived: LB James Lockhart
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/27/20
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: RB Craig Reynolds
Buffalo Bills
- Released: P Lachlan Edwards
Carolina Panthers
- Placed on IR: CB Derrek Thomas
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: C Jon Toth
- Placed on IR: DE Curtis Weaver
Denver Broncos
- Waived: LS Wes Farnsworth
Detroit Lions
- Signed: DT Kevin Wilkins
- Waived: DT Olive Sagapolu
Indianapolis Colts
- Placed on IR: RB Bruce Anderson
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: LB Avery Moss
New York Giants
- Signed: RB Tavien Feaster
- Released: WR Tony Brown
New York Jets
- Released: RB Pete Guerriero
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: LB Jayrone Elliott, LB Liam McCullough
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: WR River Cracraft
- Released: WR Jaron Brown
- Waived/Injured: DL Jonathan Kongbo
Tennessee Titans
- Released/Deal Voided: S Walt Aikens
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/26/20
Today’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: WR Cam Phillips, WR Darrell Stewart
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: DB Maurice Smith
- Released: K Tristan Vizcaino
Cleveland Browns
- Claimed (from Bengals): WR Damion Willis
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: TE Dominique Dafney
- Released: RB Bruce Anderson III
Miami Dolphins
- Claimed (from 49ers): RB Salvon Ahmed
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: LB David Reese
- Waived: S Brian Cole
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on IR: DT Jalen Dalton
- Released from IR via injury settlement: DB Tino Ellis
New York Giants
- Signed: CB Brandon Williams
Philadephia Eagles
- Waived: LB Dante Olson
- Placed on IR: TE Josh Perkins
Tennessee Titans
- Waived: LB Khaylan Kearse-Thomas, RB Cameron Scarlett