Willam Gay Playing Safety
- The Giants are experimenting by using longtime cornerback William Gay at safety, writes Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com. Gay, who spent most of his time at corner over an 11-year career mostly spent in Pittsburgh, would give New York another option alongside Landon Collins and Darian Thompson. Gay, 33, saw a bit of action as a linebacker/safety with the Steelers, and also has experience in the slot, so a move to safety shouldn’t be all too challenging.
Giants Worked Out CB Sterling Moore
- The Giants auditioned a number of cornerbacks yesterday, including Alterraun Verner, Zack Sanchez, and Leonard Johnson (the team ultimately signed Johnson). Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com reports (via Twitter) that the team also hosted veteran Sterling Moore. The 28-year-old has managed to put together a seven-year career despite going undrafted out of Southern Methodist in 2011. The cornerback bounced on and off the Saints roster in 2017, compiling five tackles and two passes defended in six games. However, he was plenty productive with New Orleans in 2016, finishing with a career-high 56 tackles, 13 passes defended, and two interceptions.
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Minor NFL Transactions: 8/3/18
Today’s minor moves:
Denver Broncos
- Signed: WR Bryce Bobo
- Waived: WR Kenny Bell
Detroit Lions
- Signed: WR Dom Williams
- Waived/Injured: WR Deontez Alexander
New York Giants
- Waived: CB Kenneth Durden
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: DT Lord Hyeamang
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: T Laurence Gibson
- Placed on IR: S Johnathan Cyprien
- Waived/injured: DL Connor Flagel
Giants To Sign CB Leonard Johnson
The Giants are signing cornerback Leonard Johnson, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The move comes hours after the team auditioned fellow corners Alterraun Verner and Zack Sanchez. 
Johnson played for the Panthers during GM Dave Gettleman’s time in Carolina, which might explain the move. Johnson didn’t fill up the stat sheet in that 2016 season, but he did appear in ten games. Last year, he recorded 51 tackles and seven passes defensed with the Bills. He appeared in 15 games in 2017 and started in seven of those contests. Johnson graded out as just the 99th best corner in the NFL out of Pro Football Focus’ 120+ qualified players, but that likely doesn’t faze Gettleman, who isn’t big on analytics.
Johnson doesn’t profile as a starter, but he could sneak in as a reserve behind starters Eli Apple and Janoris Jenkins and bench corners William Gay and Teddy Williams.
Giants Work Out Alterraun Verner
The Giants are looking into some cornerback help. On Friday, the Giants auditioned Alterraun Verner and Zack Sanchez, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com tweets. 
Verner, 29, was once regarded as one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. However, much has changed since he inked a four-year, $25.5MM deal with the Bucs in 2014. Last year, the Dolphins signed Verner to serve as a slot option, but he didn’t do much in that area as Bobby McCain enjoyed a breakout season.
Sanchez, you may recall, was one of three cornerbacks drafted by the Panthers in 2016 as they attempted to replace Josh Norman on the cheap. That experiment did not work out, and Sanchez has not seen live action since.
The Giants recently lost supplemental draft pick Sam Beal, so they could use some reinforcements at cornerback. Veteran Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie continues to float in limbo, but we wouldn’t bank on a reunion.
Giants' Raymond Pushing To Make Cut
- Giants wide receiver/kick returner Kalif Raymond is having as good of a training camp as anyone as he pushes to make the team, Art Stapleton of the Bergen Record writes. Drops have hurt Raymond as a returner and receiver with both New York teams, but he purchased his own JUGS machine this year in order to improve his concentration and execution. The hard work is paying off, and Raymond has a shot at making the cut despite the Giants’ depth at wide receiver.
Giants, Odell Beckham Jr. Begin Talks
The Giants and Odell Beckham Jr. have finally begun contract talks, according to a source who spoke with Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com. The two sides started discussing a new deal earlier this week, just days after owner John Mara vowed to get things started “sooner rather than later.” 
Of the 12 wide receivers that were drafted in the first two rounds of the 2014 draft, ten have received new deals within the past year. Beckham, who is the most talented of the bunch, is still waiting. That’s partially due to Beckham’s ankle injury last year and also likely tied to the team’s concerns about his maturity. But, they’re on the right track now, and a new deal could come together between now and the season opener against the Jaguars on Sept. 9.
Beckham’s next deal could easily make him the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL. It’s possible that OBJ will seek to not only top Antonio Brown‘s $17MM/year salary, but also Mike Evans‘ $55MM in total guarantees. It remains to be seen whether the Giants are willing to go there, but they are more open to numbers like that after seeing him hustle in practice.
“I see what I expected to see when we started to communicate back in February,” Shurmur said earlier this week. “This guy loves to play football, he trains extremely hard, he’s totally engaged in the meetings behind the scenes, the things that the world is not aware of, and he’s got a lot of passion for the game. We were just out in a walk-through and I saw three or four times when he was talking to different players about certain techniques within the play. That’s all good stuff.”
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/1/18
Today’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Claimed: OT Adam Bisnowaty (from Lions)
- Placed on injured reserve: CB Ross Cockrell (story)
Detroit Lions
- Signed CB Josh Okonye
- Waived: CB Amari Coleman
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: OL Michael Dunn, TE DeAndre Goolsby
- Waived/injured: OL Brandon Thomas
- Waived: LS Andrew East
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: LB Otha Peters
- Waived: WR Ashton Lampkin
New Orleans Saints
- Waived/injured: WR Eldridge Massington, WR Josh Smith
New York Giants
- Claimed: OL Victor Salako (from Browns)
Tennessee Titans
- Retired: OL John Theus
Sam Beal Ineligible To Return This Season
- Injured rookie cornerback Sam Beal will not be able to return this season notes Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com. If the Giants had wanted to have Beal eligible for one of their IR/return slots, they would’ve needed to wait until their roster was down to 53-men to place him on inured reserve. The third round supplemental draft pick will redshirt his rookie year and look to return strong in 2019.
Giants Notes: OBJ, Riley, Apple
- Though it’s obviously still early in training camp, the Giants‘ offensive line has left much to be desired in summer practices thus far, as Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com writes. Dunleavy lists a few OL free agents that Big Blue might consider bringing in, and he also names Denzelle Good, who is currently fighting for a starting job with the Colts, as an interesting trade candidate.
- After two seasons as a backup cornerback with the Titans, Curtis Riley saw an opportunity to start at free safety with the Giants, which encouraged him to sign with Big Blue in March. Thus far, his conversion to safety is going swimmingly, and Greg Joyce of the New York Post writes that Riley has a legitimate chance to win the starting FS job.
- Odell Beckham Jr. has excelled in Giants training camp thus far, and he looks committed and healthy, per Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Raanan ends his tweet with an emphatic, “pay the man.”
- Though it’s obviously still early in training camp, the Giants‘ offensive line has left much to be desired in summer practices thus far, as Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com writes. Dunleavy lists a few OL free agents that Big Blue might consider bringing in, and he also names Denzelle Good, who is currently fighting for a starting job with the Colts, as an interesting trade candidate.
- After two seasons as a backup cornerback with the Titans, Curtis Riley saw an opportunity to start at free safety with the Giants, which encouraged him to sign with Big Blue in March. Thus far, his conversion to safety is going swimmingly, and Greg Joyce of the New York Post writes that Riley has a legitimate chance to win the starting FS job.
- Giants CB Eli Apple‘s maturity issues and lack of effort have gotten him into plenty of hot water with his teammates and coaches during his first two seasons in the pros, but new head coach Pat Shurmur is impressed with Apple’s attitude and his play thus far. Shurmur said, via Paul Schwartz of the New York Post, “I’m seeing a guy that’s all about his business. He’s very businesslike. And he’s covering really well, a really good attribute for a corner. I like the way he’s working. He’s out there challenging, but he’s also being smart. And I like the way he’s functioning in the building. Very attentive in meetings. In my mind, and based on what I’ve seen, he’s acting like a pro.”