Giants Haven't Talked Extension With Jamon Brown
- Guard Jamon Brown has played well for the Giants since being claimed off waivers from the Rams earlier this year, but New York hasn’t tried to negotiate a new contract with him yet, a source told Matt Lombardo of NJ.com. Brown is set to be a free agent this offseason, and could land a decent sized payday. He’s been a solid starter in his career, but was waived by the Rams shortly after returning from a two game suspension.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/29/18
Here are Saturday’s minor moves:
Detroit Lions
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Andre Chachere
- Placed on IR: CB DeShawn Shead
New York Giants
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Alonzo Russell
- Placed on IR: WR Jawill Davis
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted from practice squad: DL Ryan Delaire, WR Max McCaffrey
- Placed on IR: RB Matt Breida, WR Dante Pettis
Washington Redskins
- Promoted from practice squad: TE J.P. Holtz
Giants Shut Down Odell Beckham Jr.
There was hope that Odell Beckham Jr. would be able to return for the Giants’ final game of the season, but the team is opting to shut him down instead, a source told Jordan Raanan of ESPN (Twitter link).
While the Giants don’t have anything to play for in terms of playoff contention, they’ve been playing with a lot of pride recently and have put forth some great efforts, so it’s not surprising that they were holding out hope Beckham would be able to play. It’ll be the fourth straight missed game for Beckham to end the season, with his last appearance coming in the team’s overtime win against the Bears.
After starting the year 1-7, the Giants have gone 4-3 over their last ten games, and very nearly shocked the Colts as massive underdogs last week. Beckham was active for three of the four wins, but surprisingly didn’t have his best games during that stretch. He averaged only 61 yards in the three recent wins, but did catch four touchdowns.
Beckham suffered a quad injury last month, but was initially able to play through it. One day he suddenly popped back up on the injury report, and was suddenly ruled out for that weekend’s game. His injury was clouded in secrecy and the team wouldn’t elaborate on what happened, until Beckham himself finally cleared the air and revealed he had re-aggravated the injury in practice on his docuseries.
He said it was a quad hematoma, which is a a collection of blood outside a blood vessel. When he talked about the injury, he seemed to hint that the coaching staff was pushing him a little too hard, but nothing ever came of those comments. He’ll finish the year with 77 catches for 1,052 yards and six touchdowns in 12 games. Having just signed a megadeal with the team after trade rumors swirled around him this offseason, Beckham will be back in New York in 2019, but it remains to be seen who will be throwing passes to him.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/27/18
Here are today’s practice squad moves:
New York Giants
- Signed: P Brock Miller
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: WR Rashard Davis, CB Makinton Dorleant
Giants Notes: Manning, Week 17 Moves
Toward the beginning of the season, it seemed like a formality that Eli Manning wouldn’t be the Giants’ quarterback next year. The Giants were 1-7 and the season was circling the drain again, with Manning struggling heavily in his first year in Pat Shurmur’s offense. But the Giants then shockingly turned things around. They won four out of five games after that, znd very nearly pulled off a massive upset in Indianapolis this past Sunday.
Manning is suddenly having his best statistical season in many years, and his yards per attempt is the best it’s been since 2011. With all that’ happened, Manning won’t be getting any sort of send off this upcoming week in the Giants’ home finale, and fans shouldn’t write off Manning just yet, writes Ralph Vacchiano at SNY. The team isn’t planning anything special because they don’t view it as Manning’s last game as a Giant, and sources told Vacchiano that “it’s still more likely than not that he’ll be their starting quarterback again in 2019.” It’s a pretty surprising development, and it’ll be an epic comeback for Manning if he manages to hold onto the job for at least another year after his fate appeared all but sealed. With the Giants having won some games they’re no longer in a position to pick at the top of the draft, and the top quarterback or two could be gone by the time they’re up. What the Giants do at quarterback will surely be one of the most talked about storylines this offseason.
- Speaking of the Giants, the team will likely be making a “series of roster moves” this week as the season winds down, according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Daily News. Schwartz writes that the team isn’t going to officially shut down Odell Beckham Jr. yet and hopes that he can still return for Week 17, but several other players will be placed on IR. That likely means some practice squad call-ups are in order for the Giants’ last hurrah at home against the Cowboys, and a lot of young guys should see some action.
NFL Workout Updates: 12/24/18
Today’s workouts, all courtesy of veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer (on Twitter):
Cincinnati Bengals:
- K’s Ty Long (BC CFL), Tristan Vizcaino
Detroit Lions:
- LSs Justin Drescher, Taybor Pepper, Zach Triner; TE Erik Swoope; RB Kerwynn Williams
Indianapolis Colts:
- S Harold Jones-Quartey; LB Chris Odom; WR Brian Quick; Julius Warmsley
Kansas City Chiefs:
- LB Josh Keyes, RB Terry Swanson
New York Giants:
- DEs Tobi Antigha (SASK), Jake Ceresna (EDM); QB Bo Levi Mitchell (CALG); WRs Bryant Mitchell (EDM), Jordan Williams-Lambert (SASK); RB Terry Williams
Philadelphia Eagles:
- WRs Carlton Agudosi, Marken Michel (CALG), Devin Smith; DB Mercy Maston (EDM); LBs Alex Singleton (CALG), Jameer Thurman (CALG)
Pittsburgh Steelers:
- QB Max Browne; LB Sam Eguavoen (SASK); DE Avery Ellis (OTT); WR Dominique Rhymes (OTT
Tennessee Titans:
- WRs Kaelin Clay, Kalif Raymond; LB Tyrone Holmes; RB Akeem Hunt; DE Hau’oli Kikaha; LB Anthony Winbush
Washington Redskins:
- QBs Max Browne and Joe Callahan, WRs Tre McBride and Carlos Henderson, TE Jace Amaro, OTs Isaiah Battle and Cyrus Kouandjio, DE Hau’oli Kikaha and LB Corey Nelson
This time of year, a lot of teams are auditioning guys for potential reserve/futures deals to be a part of their 90-man rosters for 2019. It’s also common to see a lot of CFL guys getting looks this time of year, because players participating in the 2018 CFL season aren’t eligible to sign NFL contracts until after the regular season is over.
Giants Workout Canadian
- The Giants worked out defensive lineman Kwaku Boateng, a source told Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Boateng is a Canadian who has played very well in the CFL the past couple of years. This time of year it’s common to see CFL players get workouts for consideration for next season, as they aren’t eligible to be signed until after the season is over. Boateng has gotten workouts with the Chargers and Jets recently, so NFL scouts clearly see some potential there.
Giants, Jaguars, Titans Put In Claims For WR Pharoh Cooper
The Cardinals acquired ex-Rams wide receiver Pharoh Cooper off waivers earlier this week, but they weren’t the only team with interest in the return man. The Giants, Jaguars, and Titans also put in claims for Cooper, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Once the NFL’s trade deadline passes in November, every player is subject to waivers once they are cut. (Cooper, as a player with fewer than four pro seasons under his belt, would have gone on the waiver wire even if he’d been released before the deadline.) After the first three weeks of the season, the waiver order is based on standings, with the league’s worst team earning priority. Arizona has the No. 1 waiver slot, while Jacksonville is fifth, New York is ninth, and Tennessee is 22nd.
A fourth-round pick out of South Carolina in 2016, Cooper earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2017 as a return man. The 23-year-old handled 66 combined kick and punt returns, and led the NFL in yards per kickoff return (27.4). Cooper hasn’t been much of an offensive force through two-plus years in the NFL, as he played roughly 400 offensive snaps from 2016-17 and managed only 25 total receptions during that time. This season, Cooper was on injured reserve for nine weeks and thus only made five appearances.
Neither the Giants nor the Jaguars are headed to the postseason this year, but both clubs may have been attracted to Cooper’s contractual status, which will now keep him with the Cardinals through 2020 at a league minimum rate. The Titans would reaped the benefits of Cooper’s cheap salary, as well, but they’d have been hard-pressed to improve their kick return unit, which already ranks as the league’s best per Football Outsiders.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/19/18
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: LB Jonathan Anderson
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted from practice squad: QB Kyle Allen, TE Jason Vander Laan
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on injured reserve: RB Frank Gore (story)
New York Giants
- Activated from injured reserve: WR Cody Latimer (story)
Tennessee Titans
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Kenneth Durden
Washington Redskins
- Promoted from practice squad: DB Jeremy Reaves
- Placed on injured reserve: CB Danny Johnson
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/18/18
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted from practice squad: CB Chris Jones, CB Deatrick Nichols
- Waived: CB Dontae Johnson, CB Quinten Rollins
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted from practice squad: RB Jeremy Langford
Buffalo Bills
- Signed off 49ers’ practice squad: WR Victor Bolden
- Placed on IR: RB Marcus Murphy
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted from practice squad: LB Chris Worley
- Placed on IR: LB Malik Jefferson
Detroit Lions
- Promoted from practice squad: DT John Atkins
- Placed on IR: DL Da’Shawn Hand
Green Bay Packers
- Signed off Jaguars’ practice squad: WR Allen Lazard
Miami Dolphins
- Signed off Panthers’ practice squad: DT Kendrick Norton
New York Giants
- Placed on IR: CB Antonio Hamilton
New York Jets
- Signed off Patriots’ practice squad: T Eric Smith
Oakland Raiders
- Promoted from practice squad: DB Rico Gafford, DT Gabe Wright
- Waived: LB Emmanuel Lamur
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DB Tyvis Powell
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed off Jaguars’ practice squad: RB Bo Scarbrough
- Placed on IR: G Jordan Simmons
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted from practice squad: TE Donnie Ernsberger, DL Jeremiah Ledbetter
- Placed on IR: TE Alan Cross, S Justin Evans
Washington Redskins
- Signed: DB Harlan Miller
- Placed on IR: CB Joshua Holsey