Minor NFL Transactions: 7/12/18
Today’s minor moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Placed on reserve/did not report list: C Alex Thompson
New York Giants
- Signed: G Zac Kerin
- Waived: OL Ethan Cooper
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/11/18
Today’s minor moves:
New York Giants
- Waived: CB Kenneth Durden
Washington Redskins
- Waived: P Sam Irwin-Hill
Giants Select Sam Beal In Supplemental Draft
The Giants have landed the top talent in this year’s supplemental draft. With their pick in the third round, the Giants selected the former Western Michigan cornerback. 
Beal, a 6’1″ cornerback, ran a 4.47-second 40-yard-dash during a recent workout, cementing his status as the top draw in this year’s second-chance draft. Every NFL team watched him audition and it sounds like most evaluators came away impressed.
By selecting Beal, the Giants have fortified their cornerback group after releasing Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. The Giants did not take a cornerback in the spring draft, but they found another way to add a young and talented prospect behind starters Eli Apple and Janoris Jenkins. Meanwhile, the arrival of Beal will put pressure on the Giants’ other reserve corners, a group that includes free agent additions William Gay, Teddy Williams, and B.W. Webb plus holdover Donte Deayon.
Beal is the first player taken in the supplemental draft since the Rams chose lineman offensive lineman Isaiah Battle in 2015. There have only been 43 players selected in the supplemental draft since 1977, including two in the past six years. However, there have been some serious gems found in July, including Bernie Kosar (1985), Cris Carter (1987), Terrelle Pryor (2011) and Josh Gordon (2012).
Beal is the third player the Giants have ever taken in the supplemental draft. He joins quarterback Dave Brown (first round, 1992) and cornerback Tito Wooten (fourth round, 1994) in the record books.
Per the rules of the supplemental draft, the Giants will forfeit their third-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. However, they have gained a player with significant upside who can help them immediately, rather than waiting for a rookie next year.
Manning Discusses Giants' Draft, Solder
- Instead of taking one of the highly-touted quarterback prospects, the Giants ended up opting for running back Saquon Barkley with the second-overall pick in this past year’s draft. Eli Manning recognized his team’s decision to not take his eventual replacement, and he’s aiming to prove their decision right. “It was kind of a vote of confidence in that they trusted in me that I can play at a high level, can win games, take us deep in playoffs and win championships and win championships still,” Manning said during an appearance on SiriusXM’s “The Opening Drive.” “And you know what? I want to prove them right and I want to make them look smart and make them to have made the right decision in doing that. I want to go out there and do great things, do my job and lead this team and make guys around me better and do what I’m supposed to do to put us in position to win those games.”
- Manning also touched on his team’s addition of left tackle Nate Solder, who the Giants added on a four-year, $62MM deal this past offseason. “He knows how the offensive line is supposed to work together as a group,” Manning said. “He has them in there early, has them eating lunch together, has that (bond), (which) I always thought was most important with offensive line. It’s not having the five best players at each position. It’s having five guys that just work together. They communicate, they’ve got a toughness about them, they’ve got a pride in their job and being able to get that third-and-two, being able to run the ball, being able to pass protect and give us enough time and pick up the stunts and the blitzes. So I think he’s kind of bringing that attitude to this group.”
[SOURCE LINK]
Giants To Carry Just 3 RBs?
- Speaking of running backs in the Meadowlands, Matt Lombardo of NJ.com takes a look at the Giants‘ RB depth chart. Lombardo sees Wayne Gallman and Jonathan Stewart as the top backs behind rookie Saquon Barkley with Robert Martin on the bubble and Jalen Simmons on the outside looking in. Both Martin and Simmons joined the G-Men this year as UDFAs and Martin’s explosiveness gives him the edge over Simmons. Although Martin has impressed in practice, there’s no guarantee that the Giants will carry more than three running backs on their initial roster.
Opinion: Gettleman's Past Bodes Well For ODB
- A higher-profile NFC East extension doesn’t appear to be as far along, but Dave Gettleman‘s history with young stars bodes well for an Odell Beckham re-up with the Giants, Dan Duggan of The Athletic writes. Gettleman authorized a Cam Newton extension prior to the Panthers passer’s fifth season, and Luke Kuechly received one going into his fourth. Kawann Short signed a five-year, $80MM deal last year, months before Gettleman’s ouster with the Panthers. Of course, Gettleman’s rescinding of Josh Norman‘s franchise tag also was a key decision from his years in Charlotte and works against this premise. Beckham said he’ll be at Giants camp, but reports of a holdout based on where the contract talks are have surfaced.
- Eagles running backs coach Duce Staley interviewed for the Giants’ OC job this offseason, doing so in addition to meeting with Eagles brass about the job that went to Mike Groh.
Landon Collins, OBJ Won't Both Be Back With Giants?
- Giants stars Landon Collins and Odell Beckham Jr. will get $12MM and $18MM per year on their next contracts, writes cap expert Jason Fitzgerald of Overthecap.com (Twitter link), but they won’t both be with New York, he opines. Fitzgerald thinks at least one will be signing with a team other than the Giants. At this point, Collins seems the likelier of the two to be allowed to walk, considering it was reported recently the team had concerns about his fit with their new scheme.
Poll: Which Rookie RB Will Rush For Most Yards In 2018?
In selecting their third first-round running back of this century, the Giants continued to show how they regard this position despite its marginalization over the past several years. Saquon Barkley is the odds-on favorite to win offensive rookie of the year.
However, the running back position produces annual mid- or late-round surprises — from Devonta Freeman to Jordan Howard to Kareem Hunt — that end up providing immense value to certain teams. The Giants obviously have an incredibly gifted ball-carrier set to take handoffs from Eli Manning, but which of Barkley’s peers is in the best position to challenge him (and the quarterback contingent) for the OROY honor?
The other two first-round RBs look to be less equipped for a strong challenge due to circumstances.
Sony Michel‘s prospects of being an immediate ground producer may have been better on a different team. While the Patriots boast one of the NFL’s best offensive lines, Bill Belichick notoriously finds myriad usages for his backs and involves nearly all of them. Although, Dion Lewis‘ departure after a 180-carry season opens the door for someone to take over as New England’s primary back. And Michel averaged 7.9 yards per carry on 156 totes at Georgia last season. Rashaad Penny looks to be behind Chris Carson to start the season, and the surprise first-rounder may be given time to develop for a Seattle team that’s struggled on the ground for a few years now.
After Round 1, however, it becomes a bit more interesting. The Buccaneers did not possess a formidable depth chart at running back prior to investing their second-round pick in USC’s Ronald Jones. In 2017, Jones rushed for 1,550 yards and scored 20 total touchdowns. He could well be an early-season starter, with the likes of Jacquizz Rodgers and Peyton Barber in his path toward a first-string role. Chosen just before Jones, Nick Chubb will have to contend with Carlos Hyde in Cleveland this season for the revamped Browns. Chubb, though, notched three 1,000-yard seasons in the nation’s toughest conference.
Kerryon Johnson looks to be set to start in a committee in Detroit, but the Lions have been desperate for a surefire ground producer for years now. And they view Johnson as a three-down back. LeGarrette Blount and Ameer Abdullah reside in the Motor City carries picture, but neither would impede Johnson from a major role if he proves ready from the outset. Derrius Guice could have a quicker path to playing time in Washington. Considered by some the second-best back in this draft, the LSU product fell largely because of character concerns. However, Guice averaged 7.6 yards per carry in 2016 on nearly 200 attempts and is expected to push for the Redskins’ starting job from the start.
Also expected to challenge for an early role: the Broncos’ Royce Freeman. The Oregon-developed talent posted three 1,300-plus-yard seasons with the Ducks, amassing a staggering 947 college carries. With the Broncos having moved on from four-year starter C.J. Anderson, only Devontae Booker (299 rushing yards last season) resides in the third-rounder’s path. Is he a threat to be the 2018 version of Hunt?
As for Barkley, he has the most obvious route to a full-time gig. Despite Jonathan Stewart now being in the Big Apple, the Penn State dynamo will factor in from the start of the Giants’ season. And the three-down back totaled at least 2,300 yards from scrimmage in back-to-back years for the Nittany Lions. The Giants have questions up front, having lost Justin Pugh and Weston Richburg, but they added multiple UFAs — spearheaded by Nate Solder — and chose likely Day 1 starter Will Hernandez in Round 2.
So, will Barkley’s situation be too much for the rest of this class to overcome, a la Ezekiel Elliott? Or will one of the later-round picks emerge in Hunt fashion? Is there a Day 3 dark horse in this year’s class in the mold of Freeman or Howard? Take PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section!
Which rookie RB will rush for the most yards this season?
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Saquon Barkley, Giants 36% (686)
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Derrius Guice, Redskins 13% (253)
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Rashaad Penny, Seahawks 13% (240)
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Kerryon Johnson, Lions 9% (163)
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Nick Chubb, Browns 8% (156)
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Royce Freeman, Broncos 8% (156)
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Sony Michel, Patriots 8% (146)
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Ronald Jones, Buccaneers 5% (104)
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Other (specify in comments) 1% (13)
Total votes: 1,917
Giants Switching Vernon To OLB
As part of new defensive coordinator James Bettcher‘s blitz-happy, aggressive 3-4 defense, the Giants will be moving Olivier Vernon from a defensive end to a pass-rushing outside linebacker. As a result of this change, Matt Lombardo of NJ.com believes the 27-year-old will end up being the key to a successful Giants defense.
Since joining the Giants prior to the 2016 season, Vernon has compiled 15 sacks. While the defender averaged more sacks during his final three seasons with the Dolphins, Lombardo believes the position change should boost the former third-rounder’s numbers.
Giants Interviewed Duce Staley For OC Job?
Despite being an Eagles coach for the past seven seasons, Duce Staley did not receive the promotion he sought this offseason. Philadelphia opted to name Mike Groh as Frank Reich‘s offensive coordinator replacement after interviewing both Groh and Staley.
However, Staley may well have participated in another key interview this offseason. The Eagles’ running backs coach met with the Giants about their offensive coordinator position, Marcus Hayes of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
This is the first report of Staley interviewing for that role, one Pat Shurmur initially sought Vikings QBs coach Kevin Stefanski for but was denied permission. Staley was mentioned as a candidate for Big Blue’s OC position earlier this offseason prior to the job going to former Panthers OC Mike Shula. Nevertheless, he’s back on as RBs coach, now with an assistant head coach title, for the defending Super Bowl champions. This will be his sixth season in that role.
“I’m not worried about being a coordinator. I’m worried about being able to be out there and coach for another Super Bowl,” Staley said, via Hayes, changing his tune slightly from last year around this time. “That’s where I’m at right now. Everything else will handle itself.”
Hayes notes Staley wants to be a head coach and knows the OC route would be the easiest way for him to accomplish that goal, and the 43-year-old assistant did not dismiss a possible interest in going the college route to help get there.
But for now, the former Eagles running back is hoping his work leading their current backs will speak for itself and potentially land him a higher-profile job in the near future.
“Crazy league. Crazy situations,” Staley said. “You talk about being at the right place at the right time. Sometimes things are slotted, and they may not be slotted for you. Sometimes something may just pop up on you.
“Look at Anthony Lynn. Boom, next thing you know, head coach.”
Also an NFL running back in the ’90s, Lynn saw Greg Roman‘s ouster as Bills OC in 2016 lead to a promotion. And a few months later, the Chargers hired him as their head coach. A running backs coach since 2003, Lynn has several years of additional coaching experience compared to Staley. But with the Eagles losing both Reich and John DeFilippo this offseason, Staley could have a smoother path to an OC gig elsewhere if Philly’s offense continues to thrive.