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.
Giants Release Alec Ogletree, Kareem Martin
The Giants have released linebackers Alec Ogletree and Kareem Martin, per a club announcement. By cutting the two veterans, the Giants will save roughly $10MM against the 2020 salary cap. 
The Giants acquired Ogletree via trade with the Rams in 2018. Despite his experience and soft hands (he has a dozen interceptions to his credit), the savings were too good to pass up. Ogletree appeared in 26 games for the G-Men in his two seasons and led the team with 173 stops in that span. He also set the franchise record for INTs by an LB in 2018 with five picks – two of which were brought back for touchdowns.
Martin joined the Giants on the same week as Ogletree. In his first campaign, Martin had perfect attendance with seven starts at linebacker and notched a career-high 48 tackles with 1.5 sacks. Last year, a Week 1 knee injury pretty much wiped out his season. He played in just five contests and logged a grand total of six tackles. He had one more year to go on his deal, but few expected him to see that final season.
By dropping Ogletree and Martin, the Giants will head into March with approximately $70MM in breathing room.
Giants To Hire Bucs Assistant ST Coach
Joe Judge will turn to another team’s staff to add a key assistant. The new Giants HC is hiring Buccaneers assistant special teams coach Amos Jones to his staff, Tom Rock of Newsday reports. Jones was on the Mississippi State staff during part of Judge’s tenure in Starksville as a player and graduate assistant, and Rock notes the 60-year-old assistant will play myriad roles for Judge. Jones will act as Judge’s right-hand man during game days, helping with in-game strategy, while aiding with analytics and in-week planning as well. Jones has worked in the NFL since 2007, but this appears a more diverse job description compared to the special teams roles he’s previously held in the league. From 2012-18, Jones served as the ST coordinator for the Steelers, Cardinals and Browns. He caught on with Bruce Arians again in Tampa but will join former pupil Judge in New York.
Giants’ Bret Bielema To Interview For Colorado HC Job
Bret Bielema‘s Giants stay may not end up lasting long. After expressing interest in the Michigan State job, the Giants assistant is set to interview for the position vacated because of the Spartans’ hire.
Michigan State ended up going with Colorado head coach Mel Tucker, the Buffaloes’ HC for one season. Colorado will now interview Bielema for the job, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy, a Colorado alum, also remains in consideration for the post, Mike Klis of 9News tweets.
The Giants hired Bielema to be their outside linebackers coach; he also has “senior defensive assistant” in his current title. He spent the past two seasons with Joe Judge in New England, the second of those slates as the Pats’ defensive line coach. But judging by the connection to two Division I HC jobs thus far this offseason, Bielema’s future may be back at the college level.
Bielema, 50, was the head coach at Wisconsin (2006-12) and Arkansas (2013-17). After the Razorbacks fired him, he surfaced on Bill Belichick‘s staff. After the Patriots lost several assistants last year, Bielema served as one of their most experienced staffers. However, the two years in New England doubled as Bielema’s only two as an NFL coach. Bielema was under consideration to be the Giants’ defensive coordinator, but Judge opted for former Patriots coworker Patrick Graham. Bielema then settled for a lesser role with the Giants.