Latest On Giants’ Markus Golden
Free agent edge rusher Markus Golden has interest in re-signing with the Giants, but it sounds as though he wants to first reach free agency in order to test his market value, as Josina Anderson of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link).
With the free agent period fewer than two weeks away, it probably doesn’t make much sense for Golden — or any other pending free agent — to ink an extension without at least exploring the potential market. Last offseason, Golden garnered interest from multiple teams before landing a one-year, $3.75MM deal with New York.
In his first season with the Giants, Golden experienced something of a resurgence by starting all 16 games and posting 10 sacks. However, that sack total is a bit of a mirage, as Golden ranked just 73rd among edge rushers with 26 total pressures, per Pro Football Focus. Converting that limited number of pressures into double-digit sacks is likely an unrepeatable task.
Golden, who turns 29 next week, spent the first four years of his career with the Cardinals after being selected in the second round of the 2015 draft. He put up 12.5 sacks in 2016, but after a torn ACL ended his 2017 campaign, Golden wasn’t able to regain his pass-rushing ways until joining the Giants.
Redskins Offered Steve Wilks Staff Role
After six years with the Panthers, Steve Wilks went through one-year stints with the Cardinals and Browns the past two seasons. The Browns made him a finalist for their 2020 defensive coordinator job but opted not to retain him for a second season, going with Joe Woods instead.
Wilks does not intend to coach this year, Joe Person of The Athletic notes (subscription required), but he had at least one opportunity with a former coworker and perhaps two.
Ron Rivera offered Wilks the Redskins’ assistant HC/secondary job, Person adds, also noting Wilks met with Dave Gettleman about a Giants role. Gettleman and Wilks worked together for five years in Carolina. Washington then went with Chris Harris, who spent the past four seasons as the Chargers’ assistant DBs coach, to lead its secondary.
Wilks, 50, has coached in the NFL for 14 straight seasons. He joined Rivera’s Panthers staff in 2012 and finished that tenure as Carolina’s defensive coordinator in 2017. Wilks was a college assistant from 1995-2005. But the former head coach will wait until the 2021 hiring period to get back in the game. The Cardinals are still paying Wilks, having signed him to a four-year deal in 2018 before firing him after that season.
Latest On Giants’ FA, Draft Plans
The Giants are in dire need of a top-flight pass rusher, but we’ve been hearing for weeks that no such players — with the possible exception of Jadeveon Clowney — are likely to hit the open market. The Giants are reportedly interested in Clowney, and Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv believes the club will make a run at him, but they will be facing stiff competition for his services.
Though Big Blue has upwards of $70MM in cap space, Vacchiano says the team is not going to break the bank for a second-tier option like Kyle Van Noy or Dante Fowler. And with Ohio State standout Chase Young almost certain to be off the board by the time the Giants are on the clock with the No. 4 overall selection in this year’s draft, adding an immediate-impact edge rusher from the college ranks will also be difficult.
GM Dave Gettleman recently noted that improving a club’s secondary can have a trickle-down effect on its pass rush, and sources expect Gettleman to prioritize cornerbacks in free agency, per Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post. The Cowboys’ Byron Jones and the Broncos’ Chris Harris are the two top CBs on the market, and Dunleavy believes New York will at least make a pitch to Jones. We recently heard that the Panthers’ James Bradberry‘s price tag may be too rich for the Giants, though Bradberry is not as accomplished as Harris or Jones.
But even if the Giants land a coveted defender or two in free agency, they could still make defense a priority in the draft. They have been linked to Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah, and league sources are telling Matt Miller of Bleacher Report that the club is likely to take Clemson defender Isaiah Simmons. Simmons is listed as a linebacker, but his versatility — which includes plenty of pass rush ability — is perhaps his best asset.
If the Giants don’t love their options with the No. 4 pick, they could trade back and perhaps land one of this year’s top left tackle prospects. But Gettleman has never traded down in his seven drafts as GM, and Vacchiano writes in a separate piece that Gettleman will not drop down too far, if he drops down at all. The Giants could be a trade partner for a club looking for a QB, but those teams aren’t picking too far behind New York, so Gettleman will still be able to land an elite player if he chooses to sell the No. 4 selection.
Giants Exercise Alex Tanney’s Option
The Giants have exercised their option on Alex Tanney‘s contract, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter). With that, he’ll be in the mix to serve as Daniel Jones’ QB2 this year. 
Tanney, 33 in November, has bounced around the league throughout his career. He had stops with the Chiefs, Cowboys, Browns, Buccaneers, Titans, Bills, Colts, and Titans (again) before joining the Giants in May of 2018. Meanwhile, he’s thrown just 15 passes in the NFL between two games.
Despite his lack of live action, coaches see Tanney as a quick study and a solid influence in the locker room. Keepin the Monmouth product isn’t an expensive proposition, either. If he sticks, he’ll earn just $950K in base salary with a $1.012MM cap hit. If he doesn’t make the cut, the Giants won’t be on the hook for much: the dead money hit would be less than $38K.
Earlier this offseason, there were some rumblings that the Giants could consider Tom Brady, but we heard recently that they will not be in pursuit of the future Hall of Famer. Instead, they’ll stay the course with youngster Daniel Jones who showed flashes of promise after taking over for Eli Manning.
Colts, Giants Won’t Pursue Tom Brady?
The Colts and Giants have been connected to Tom Brady in recent weeks, but Albert Breer of The MMQB has been told “pretty emphatically” that neither club will pursue the future Hall of Famer.
There was talk that the Colts (along with the Chargers and Raiders) huddled up with Brady at the combine, but we heard recently that those rumblings were not true (at least, when it comes to the Colts). Many have speculated that the Colts would make an aggressive push for Brady – they are less than committed to Jacoby Brissett under center and Brady would give them the star QB they’ve craved since Andrew Luck‘s surprise retirement. Based on what Breer is hearing, the Colts would rather go in a younger direction while spreading their ample cap space.
That’s not to say the Colts aren’t big-game hunting at QB. There’s mutual interest between Indy and longtime Chargers star Philip Rivers. Rivers, 38, has history with Frank Reich and Nick Sirianni and the Colts would offer the eight-time Pro Bowler an opportunity to win in his twilight years. The Redskins and Buccaneers may also make a play for Rivers, so the Colts will be evaluating all of their options in the coming weeks.
Back to Brady – no one is counting out a new deal with the Patriots, though there’s increasing chatter that he’s looking to move on from the only NFL team he’s ever known. If he parts ways with the Pats, the Chargers, Titans, and Raiders may be among his most likely destinations.
NFC East Notes: Okudah, Groh, Heath, Jones
While there’s still plenty of time until the NFL Draft, but murmurs around the combine are tying the Giants to cornerback Jeff Okudah, according to Ryan Dunleavy of the NY Post. Okudah is considered the best defensive back prospect in the draft class and is expected to be a top-five pick. In his final season at Ohio State, Okudah recorded three interceptions, nine passes defended, 34 tackles, and, perhaps most impressive of all, zero holding or defensive pass interference penalties.
Here are some more notes from around the NFC East;
- The Eagles made a number of changes on their coaching staff following a disappointing season. Most notably, Philadelphia fired offensive coordinator Mike Groh, but sources familiar with the situation tell Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer that head coach Doug Pederson told Groh he would be retained for a third season. Instead, the team fired Groh alongside offensive assistants Rich Scangarello and Andrew Breiner. While there’s no direct consequence, it’s not the ideal way to conduct business.
- Longtime Cowboy safety and defensive back Jeff Heath has received interest from a number of teams, including Dallas, as he nears free agency, per Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News. Watkins notes that things will pick up after the league and NFLPA resolve their CBA negotiations.
- As previously reported, the Giants officially hired Amos Jones to join Joe Judge‘s coaching staff. Jones’ position on the staff had not been previously known. According to Ralph Vacchiano of SNY, Jones will serve as an “assistant coach/special projects and situations.”
Giants Unlikely To Pay Up For Bradberry
Add the Jets to the teams in the James Bradberry market. Cornerback resides among the many needs in New York, and the Jets are “very interested” in the Panthers starter, Connor Hughes of The Athletic reports (subscription required). Twenty-two teams have expressed some degree of interest on Bradberry, per Hughes. This includes the Redskins, now run by longtime Panthers coach Ron Rivera. The Giants are interested, but Hughes notes the No. 1 cornerback price tag will likely push them out of the running.
Rhett Ellison Considering Retirement
Giants tight end Rhett Ellison is under contract through the 2020 season, but the 31-year-old is mulling retirement, as Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post reports. Ellison missed the final six games of the 2019 campaign due to a concussion, and it’s that injury that is making him consider calling it quits.
Ellison has always been deployed primarily as a blocking TE, and he has averaged just under 150 receiving yards per season in his eight-year career. But he excels in that role, and he generally catches the passes that are thrown to him. Plus, with the Giants’ top tight end, Evan Engram, still in a walking boot and Scott Simonson a free agent, Big Blue doesn’t have much certainty at the position.
Kaden Smith has some upside, and the club has been connected to Jason Witten, but Ellison serves a valuable role and would be missed if he hangs up the cleats. If he does choose to come back, however, Dunleavy suggests he may be a restructure candidate.
After all, he is due a $4.97MM salary in 2020, which is probably too rich. It seems as though player and team would be able to come to terms on a pay cut if Ellison wants to continue his playing career.
FA Notes: Clowney, Conklin, Patriots, Jones
This year’s edge rusher free agency class could be especially deep, depending on how certain teams proceed with their respective franchise tags. But that doesn’t apply to the biggest name. Jadeveon Clowney cannot be tagged and is on track to test the market, and said market may be taking shape at the Combine. Thus far in the process, the Colts and Giants are two teams who have surfaced in connection to Clowney. Both could have interest in the former No. 1 overall pick, per Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Both teams feature edge rusher needs, the Giants more than the Colts, and each holds north of $70MM in cap space.
The Seahawks, however, are not out of the mix. Clowney said (via Anderson, on Twitter) after spending a season in Seattle he would “definitely” like to stay, though the six-year veteran pass rusher added he is open to relocating. Seahawks GM John Schneider confirmed (via ESPN.com’s Brady Henderson) the team wants Clowney back. Seattle has both Clowney and defensive tackle Jarran Reed as free agents, leaving major holes on the team’s defensive line.
Here is the latest from the free agent market:
- With major needs up front, the Jets are expected to make several additions this offseason. They have expressed serious interest in Jack Conklin, according to Tony Pauline of ProFootballNetwork.com. A four-year starter at right tackle in Tennessee, Conklin will be coveted by many teams and will command a top-market contract. The Jets have deployed a bottom-tier offensive line for years, and the Titans having Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry as looming UFAs will likely send Conklin out of town.
- The Patriots, who extended Shaq Mason in 2018, are preparing to lose his longtime guard mate. Joe Thuney has been expected to leave since last year’s Combine, per Doug Kyed of NESN.com. Approximately 20 teams have the four-year Patriots starter on their respective radars, Pauline adds. A market like this, coupled with the CBA potentially set to see record cap spikes in the coming years, likely puts Thuney in line to eclipse Lane Johnson‘s $14.1MM guard-record pact.
- However, the Pats are not giving up on retaining some of their other key free agents. They have spoken with the representatives of Devin McCourty and Jamie Collins, Kyed notes. McCourty played out a five-year extension signed back in 2015, while Collins re-established his value on a low-level Pats accord. The latter will likely be looking for a deal closer to the $12MM-plus pact he inked with the Browns in 2017.
- Although Chris Harris is the most accomplished cornerback on this year’s market and rated higher by some outlets, Byron Jones is viewed by corner-needy teams as the top prize at the position this year, Pauline notes. At 27, Jones is three years younger than Harris. The Cowboys are likely set to let Jones walk, having authorized numerous recent extensions and are set for crunch-time negotiations with Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper. Jones is expected to see big offers from multiple teams, per Pauline, and is almost certainly set to raise the bar from its longstanding place at $15MM per year.
NFC East Rumors: Cooper, Cobb, Giants
Lots of changes are on the way for the Cowboys under new head coach Mike McCarthy, but the hope is to keep two of their big-name wide receivers in the fold. On Wednesday, McCarthy confirmed that the plan is to retain star Amari Cooper and former Packers star Randall Cobb on the roster (Twitter link via Jon Machota of The Athletic).
Cobb is coming off of a one-year, $5MM deal with $4MM guaranteed. McCarthy saw the slot receiver up-close in his prime, so it stands to reason that he could have a role in the offense.
Keeping Cooper, meanwhile, would be much more costly. Last year, the former first-round pick posted 79 catches with career-high marks in receiving yards (1,189) and touchdowns (8). He’s indicated that he won’t strictly seek dollars in his next deal, but any multi-year deal for Cooper will place him at or near the top of the WR market.
Here’s more from the NFC East:
- The Giants are “open for business” when it comes to trading back in the draft, GM Dave Gettleman says (Twitter link via Ralph Vacchiano of SNY). Still, the GM knows that there’s “risk” involved with giving up a prized selection, such as the Giants’ No. 4 overall pick. If the Giants stand pat, they could be in line for a prime Gettleman “hog mollie” in Alabama tackle Jedrick Wills. They also have ample cap room to fill their other needs, especially after cutting linebackers Alec Ogletree and Kareem Martin.
- If the Giants use the franchise tag to keep defensive lineman Leonard Williams and classify him as a defensive tackle, they may have to prepare for a fight, Vacchiano hears. Tagging Williams as a defensive end would net him about $2MM more in 2020 comp, but he might not have much of a case. Last year, Williams saw 466 DT snaps versus just 255 DE snaps. His split wasn’t all that different with the Jets, either.
- No surprise here, but Cowboys VP Stephen Jones says the team will prioritize defense with many notables on course for free agency. “In general, defense is the priority for this offseason,” Jones said (via Michael Gehlken of the Dallas News). “Whether it’s getting some our own guys back or whether it’s free agency or whether it’s the draft, if you look at our roster obviously most of our offensive roster are either under contract or are going to have restrictions to where we’re going to have a great opportunity to keep them.” Secondary stalwart Byron Jones is getting a lot of attention, but several defensive line pieces including Robert Quinn and Maliek Collins are also out-of-contract.