Giants, Daniel Jones Agree To Terms
The Giants will soon have their heir apparent quarterback under contract. They’ve agreed to terms with No. 6 overall pick Daniel Jones on his four-year rookie deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Duke product is set to receive all of his signing bonus this year, Rapoport adds (on Twitter).
This completes the Giants’ 2019 draft class and trims the list of unsigned picks to four. Over the past three days, the Giants have come to terms with their final two holdouts — Jones and outside linebacker Oshane Ximines. Giants rookies begin work on Tuesday, and Jones will obviously be the centerpiece of those workouts. Veterans join practices Friday.
Jones, 22, worked as the Blue Devils’ starter for three seasons. The Giants saw enough to draft him at No. 6, rather than waiting until their No. 17 window opened. Having taken Jones over Dwayne Haskins and edge defender Josh Allen, Dave Gettleman has tethered himself to the scrutinized prospect.
Perhaps the most controversial pick of this year’s draft, Jones went off the board several picks before he was expected to. This prompted criticism directed at Gettleman, but the second-year Giants GM believes the former David Cutcliffe pupil will be the player to succeed Eli Manning. Jones impressed Giants brass this offseason, doing so to the point the team might only keep two quarterbacks on its active roster.
Nick Bosa (49ers), Quinnen Williams (Jets), Brian Burns (Panthers) and Deebo Samuel (49ers) are the final unsigned draft picks. Here is the full Giants draft class:
- 1-6: Daniel Jones, QB (Duke): Signed
- 1-17: Dexter Lawrence, DT (Clemson): Signed
- 1-30: Deandre Baker, CB (Georgia): Signed
- 3-95: Oshane Ximines, LB (Old Dominion) Signed
- 4-108: Julian Love, CB (Notre Dame): Signed
- 5-143: Ryan Connelly, LB (Wisconsin): Signed
- 5-171: Darius Slayton, WR (Auburn): Signed
- 6-180: Corey Ballentine, CB (Washburn): Signed
- 7-232: George Asafo-Adjei, OL (Kentucky): Signed
- 7-245: Chris Slayton, DT (Syracuse): Signed
Giants To Work Out Cyprien, Boston
The Giants are looking for help in the secondary and they’re starting with a pair of big names. On Monday afternoon, the Giants will audition free agent safeties Johnathan Cyprien and Tre Boston, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links). 
Cyprien, who turns 29 next week, missed the entire 2018 season due to a torn ACL. He also worked out for the Colts this week and should be able to hook on with a contender if he is indeed back to 100% health. The advanced metrics have never been high on Cyprien, but he has been a starter for his entire career and has a reputation for delivering hard hits.
Boston, 27, has averaged four interceptions, 61 tackles, and 8.5 passes defended over the past two seasons (30 games) with the Chargers and Cardinals. Pro Football Focus was also fond of his performance, ranking him among one of the top defenders in the NFC West last season. Still, a big free agency payday continues to elude him.
Giants To Sign Oshane Ximines
The Giants have an agreement in place with 2019 third-round linebacker Oshane Ximines, per Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com (via Twitter). The Old Dominion product is expected to sign his rookie deal Monday morning, when rookies report for training camp.
Big Blue is in dire need of pass rush help, having jettisoned Jason Pierre-Paul and Olivier Vernon over the past two years. To that end, the club signed Markus Golden to a low-risk, high-reward free agent contract this offseason, and they drafted Ximines, whose sack production steadily increased throughout his collegiate career.
Ximines posted 11.5 sacks and 18 tackles for loss for Old Dominion in 2018, and while it’s difficult to read too much into raw numbers for players at smaller programs, he does have a fairly complete repertoire of pass rushing techniques. He will need to improve his run defense to become an every-down force, but he should at least get plenty of burn on passing downs as he works to refine the rest of his game.
With Ximines about to be under contract, only No. 6 overall pick Daniel Jones remains unsigned. Ximines’ contract will be a four-year deal worth $3.56MM and will feature an $833K signing bonus.
Looking Ahead To The Giants’ 2020 Offseason
As Dan Duggan of The Athletic observes, the Giants are projected to have at least $55MM in cap space to work with during the 2020 offseason, and they could easily create another $20MM or so of room by cutting veterans like Janoris Jenkins and Alec Ogletree. New York GM Dave Gettleman has never really had that type of cap space to work with, and his time as the Panthers’ top exec was generally marked by free agent frugality.
Gettleman did have $50MM to spend during the 2017 offseason with Carolina, and he used a lot of that money on a five-year, $55.5MM contract for free agent OT Matt Kalil and a five-year, $80.5MM extension for homegrown DT Kawann Short. Indeed, Gettleman’s track record show that he prefers to focus most of his expenditures on extending his own players rather than splurging on outside free agents, and he said at the end of this year’s draft, “[i]f you have confidence in your drafting skills, you know that in two, three years you’re going to be able to start extending, and you always want to be in a position to extend. Shame on you if you can’t keep your good young players home.”
That leads Duggan and Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com, whom Duggan cites in his piece, to predict that Gettleman will use his 2020 riches on perhaps one big-ticket item while filling in the gaps with several mid-level signings (Fitzgerald also suggests that Gettleman could explore a trade or two). The hope, of course, is that Daniel Jones will be prepared to lead the club’s offense by that time, and having the starting quarterback playing on a rookie contract is one reason why Big Blue is projected to have so much cap space. Gettleman may be tempted to try to accelerate his club’s return to contention by using that money on multiple top-tier FAs, but as the Giants’ prior regime learned in 2016, such a strategy is rarely successful. Theoretically, the team could roll over some of its cap room to 2021 and beyond to make sure there are enough reserves to extend young talent, but Fitzgerald does not believe Gettleman, with a second-year QB at the helm, will sit on his money.
So assuming the Giants do make at least one big splash, what will they spend on? Duggan examines each position group and assesses the likelihood that Gettleman will make a major FA investment in that position, and he believes that a high-end offensive lineman and/or pass rusher are the most likely targets. Assuming they actually become free agents, Duggan suggests Bryan Bulaga and Daryl Williams could be on Gettleman’s short list of O-lineman, while Jadeveon Clowney would be at the top of his edge rusher priorities.
Regardless, 2020 will be a pivotal offseason for Gettleman and the Giants, and a strong performance in free agency could have the team competing for the NFC East crown.
Corey Coleman Giants' WR3 Favorite?
- Despite the minicamp Darius Slayton buzz, Corey Coleman may still have the inside track on the Giants‘ No. 3 wide receiver job. Coleman’s first-round pedigree and his progress as a Giant gives him the edge over the likes of Slayton, Cody Latimer and Bennie Fowler, Paul Schwartz of the New York Post writes. During games, Coleman has not shown much since early in his rookie year. He caught five passes for 71 yards with the 2018 Giants.
Giants To Try All-American Shot Putter At G
- The Giants will join the Eagles in having a project offensive lineman in camp. After Philly drafted tackle Jordan Mailata in last year’s seventh round, the Giants signed college shot putter Austin Droogsma. The Giants signed Droogsma, who last played football as a high-schooler 2012, in May and will try the 6-4, 345-pound track convert as a guard, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com notes. While at Florida State, Droogsma won the 2018 ACC indoor and outdoor titles and finished both seasons as an All-American. Mailata, a rugby standout, spent most of last season on the Eagles’ practice squad; the Giants’ P-squad would seem like the best-case scenario for Droogsma in 2019.
NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Lawrence, Giants
Cowboys defensive end Demarcus Lawrence is expected to start training camp on the physically unable to perform list, though he hopes to be “ready by Week One,” as Mike Florio of PFT writes.
The Cowboys certainly hope that’s the case, though recovery from labrum surgery can be tricky. Lawrence was playing through the injury in 2017 and 2018 and didn’t miss any time due to the injury, so he could bounce back quicker than most from the operation.
Here’s more from the NFC East:
- Giants tight end Rhett Ellison may be a candidate for release, Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com opines. Ellison’s contract puts him in some jeopardy – he’s set to count for a $5.75MM hit with a potential for $3.25MM in savings if he’s cut. However, the Giants tend to rely on two tight end sets and No. 1 TE Evan Engram has suffered four injuries in the last eleven months. Dunleavy also listed outside linebacker Kareem Martin as a potential cut since he was signed to be a starter last year and now profiles as a backup. However, releasing him would save just $1.1MM against $4.83MM in dead money.
- Melvin Gordon‘s threat to hold out from the Chargers could be a canary in the coal mine for the Giants and Saquon Barkley, Dunleavy writes. Barkley is still on his rookie contract, but when that deal draws to a close, he could very easily stare down the G-Men the way that Gordon is doing to the Bolts. Other teams have downplayed the value of RBs, but GM Dave Gettleman has publicly lavished Barkley with effusive praise, which may impact future negotiations. The GM has said that Barkley has been “touched by the hand of G-d” and has also routinely shrugged off anti-RB analytics.
Kamrin Moore Charged With Assault
Giants safety Kamrin Moore has been charged with third-degree aggravated assault, as Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com writes. The Union County Prosecutor’s Office alleges that Moore punched a woman, stepped on her neck, and knocked her unconscious in a domestic violence incident. In response to the charges, the Giants have suspended Moore, pending further investigation.
On Thursday night, police say Moore caused the woman to suffer “bruising, swelling, and abrasions” in a brutal assault. The filing states that the woman in question got into a fight with another female at Moore’s residence. When Moore’s alleged victim fell to the ground, cops say he attacked her.
In a separate piece, Dunleavy passes along the following statement from Moore’s attorney, Alex Spiro:
“The claimant in this matter showed up unannounced and unsolicited at Mr. Moore’s home to begin an altercation with Mr. Moore’s girlfriend and invent these accusations. He will be fully cleared of all charges.”
Moore went undrafted out of Boston College in 2018 and signed with the Giants after he was released by the New Orleans Saints. Even before the incident, Moore was on the roster bubble as a reserve safety and special teams player.
Players involved in a domestic violence incident are subject to a six-game suspension for their first offense and a theoretical lifetime ban for a subsequent offense.
NFL Supplemental Draft Order
The NFL’s Supplemental Draft order does not go by the inverted win/loss records of clubs. Instead, the order is dictated by a weighted lottery that uses a team’s win percentage as just part of the equation. Here, via Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link) is the complete order of the supplemental draft:
1. Lions
2. Broncos
3. Jets
4. Cardinals
5. Giants
6. Bills
7. Raiders
8. 49ers
9. Jaguars
10. Packers
11. Bengals
12. Bucs
13. Falcons
14. Vikings
15. Redskins
16. Titans
17. Dolphins
18. Steelers
19. Panthers
20. Browns
21. Ravens
22. Patriots
23.Cowboys
24. Seahawks
25. Eagles
26. Texans
27. Bears
28. Colts
29. Saints
30. Chiefs
31. Chargers
32. Rams
The supplemental draft is conducted via email. If multiple teams submit a pick for the same player in the same round, this order dictates which club gets the player. Of course, any team picking a player in the supplemental draft will sacrifice the corresponding pick in the 2020 draft.
This Date In Transactions History: Giants Extend Victor Cruz
On this date in 2013, Victor Cruz likely performed one of the most enthusiastic salsa dances of his career. Heading into a contract year worth $2.879MM, the Giants receiver inked a five-year extension worth up to $43MM. 
It was a substantial payout for Cruz, but one that reflected his value to the club as well as the league’s increased appreciation of the slot receiver position. Lining up mostly on the inside, Cruz broke out in 2011 with 82 catches, 1,536 yards, and nine touchdowns. His 2012 encore wasn’t quite as efficient (he posted an 86/1092/10 stat line), but he was still recognized as a vital part of the Giants’ passing attack and earned his first career Pro Bowl nod.
Not wanting to risk losing Cruz to free agency after his one-year restricted free agent tender – particularly after watching him carve up the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game – the Giants moved to lock down Cruz for the long term. Cruz could have gambled by staying on track for free agency after the 2013 season, but the added security of the deal, including nearly $16MM in guarantees, provided him with financial security.
In hindsight, it was the smart play for the former undrafted free agent. Initially slowed by a heel bruise, came two yards shy of the 1,000-yard mark in 2013, despite missing two games. Unfortunately, in 2014, the course of his career changed dramatically. A torn patellar tendon ended his campaign after just six games and a calf injury in the following season put him under the knife before he could take the field.
By the time Cruz returned to action in 2016, the Giants’ offense was fully focused on Odell Beckham Jr., who routinely toasted opposing defensive backs and gobbled up targets, catches, yards, and touchdowns. At this point, Cruz’s trademark speed was no longer there, and neither was his former Rabbi, Tom Coughlin. Cruz took a pay cut to stay in the fold, but registered just 39 catches for 586 yards. The two sides were expected to hammer out a similar arrangement for his 2017 season, but they released him instead.
Cruz moved on to the Bears, but a knee injury in the final preseason game torpedoed his comeback attempt. Later, he tried to lobby the Giants to sign him via the local press, but his request went unanswered. Finally, in August of 2018, Cruz announced his retirement and entry into the world of broadcasting with ESPN.
Although Cruz’s time on top was brief, he left the game with a tremendous highlight reel, multiple productive seasons, a Super Bowl ring, and an iconic touchdown celebration that will forever be remembered by Giants fans.