Giants Received One Strong Offer For No. 2
- Dave Gettleman didn’t seem too interested in the interest that came his way for the No. 2 pick, but the Giants‘ first-year GM did tell WFAN (via Ryan Dunleavy of NJ.com, on Twitter) one team made a respectable offer. It’s uncertain which team supplied such a proposal, but before the draft, a report emerged indicating the Broncos had interest in moving up to No. 2. Elway held Sam Darnold atop his quarterback-prospect hierarchy but elected to stay put and take Chubb.
Giants Shopped Ereck Flowers During Draft
Ereck Flowers remains on the Giants’ roster, but the team’s interest in moving him accelerated during draft weekend. But the Giants did not find a taker.
New York was seeking a mid-round pick for its 2015 first-round selection, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com reports, adding one team considered that price “significantly” too steep for its liking.
The Giants’ left tackle starter for the past three seasons, Flowers is currently in line to compete for the team’s right tackle job. Raanan adds the Giants are not expected to pick up the ex-Miami standout’s fifth-year option. That would make 2018 a contract year, should Flowers even be part of the Giants this season.
Flowers has not shown up for Giants workouts yet, opting instead to train in Miami. Raanan notes the Giants are reluctant to cut him at this point because of league-wide issues teams are having locating tackle help. A 2017 UDFA, Chad Wheeler as of now looms as Flowers’ primary competition, with Raanan adding 2017 sixth-round pick Adam Bisnowaty could factor into this mix potentially. It would place some dead money on the Giants’ balance sheet if they waive Flowers, but the team would save $2.2MM if it parted ways with him prior to this season.
Some Giants offensive linemen didn’t hold Flowers in high regard last season, one that ended with a controversial DNP in Week 17. Raanan didn’t rule out the Giants pursuing a free agent option. While it’s a rather grim market, Austin Howard remains available after taking multiple visits this spring.
Giants Tried To Trade Up For Lorenzo Carter
- The Giants attempted to trade into the back end of the second round to select Georgia linebacker Lorenzo Carter, the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz writes. Though a deal did not form, New York was still able to pluck the speedy edge rusher when he fell to their third-round pick (No. 66). “What you have to appreciate is his unseen production. If he is flying off the edge, he is creating pressure. Sometimes you are looking at guys that create plays for others.,” general manager Dave Gettleman said.
Broncos Looking To Swap Picks With Giants?
It’s been sounding like the Giants are content to stay at No. 2, but could the team end up trading back? NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the Giants may have a suitor in the Broncos, who are exploring a deal to move up three spots from No. 5. Rapoport notes that a quarterback could be Denver’s target.
When it comes to the Broncos, this is the opposite of what we’ve been hearing. Reports have indicated that Denver could be looking to move back from the fifth pick, and a number of teams have been listed as potential suitors. Another report indicated that the Broncos were only interested in selecting Baker Mayfield or Sam Darnold with the selection. The Broncos may fear that those two quarterbacks will be snagged by the Browns and Jets, necessitating a trade. In another tweet, Rapoport says the Broncos could be eyeing Darnold, although general manager John Elway has spent more time with Josh Allen than any other quarterback prospect.
We heard earlier today that the Giants could still deal the second-overall pick. Penn State running back Saquon Barkley and NC State defensive end Bradley Chubb are considered the favorites to be selected by New York, but the lack of clarity out of Cleveland has complicated their game plan.
Giants Could Still Trade No. 2 Pick
A trade of the No. 2 pick is still a possibility for the Giants, sources tell Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). If they keep the No. 2 pick, Penn State running back Saquon Barkley and NC State defensive end Bradley Chubb are viewed as the favorites to be selected. However, the potential presence of USC’s Sam Darnold could change things.
The Giants – and those around the Giants – would have better clarity on their plans if they knew what the Browns were planning to do with the No. 1 overall pick. The Browns have left everyone around the NFL guessing and no one knows for sure if they’ll go with Darnold, Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield, or perhaps even Wyoming’s Josh Allen. At this point, the entire world might find out the identity of the top pick together when commissioner Roger Goodell takes the podium tonight.
On paper, selecting Sam Darnold as Eli Manning’s successor would be a huge win for the G-Men, but they are reportedly less than enamored with this year’s QB crop. If the Giants are willing to pass up a chance to select Barkley or Chubb, they could net a tremendous haul to swap places with a team dead set on landing a QB.
Giants Not Enamored With 2018 QB Class?
- While this offseason produced little to indicate the Browns would go with Mayfield, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein tweets we are hours away from that scenario unfolding. Zierlein tweets Mayfield-to-Cleveland “is happening.” He adds the Giants don’t love any of these quarterbacks, perhaps explaining the massive Saquon Barkley-to-New York buzz. Big Blue has now been connected to a trade-down scenario when it did not look like that would be the case for weeks now.
- The Browns taking Baker Mayfield at No. 1 would be a surprise and could change the Broncos‘ draft outlook. Of the big four, Mayfield and Sam Darnold are the only ones the Broncos take if they’re still on the board at No. 5, Troy Renck of Denver7 tweets. If Mayfield does go to the Browns, Darnold would be a consideration for the Giants — if they stick at No. 2 — and the Jets’ interest in the USC passer hasn’t been much of a secret. And it’s possible the Bills could move up to the No. 4 spot as well, so the Broncos could be set to go with a non-QB at No. 5 or trade back with a quarterback-seeking team.
- While this offseason produced little to indicate the Browns would go with Mayfield, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein tweets we are hours away from that scenario unfolding. Zierlein tweets Mayfield-to-Cleveland “is happening.” He adds the Giants don’t love any of these quarterbacks, perhaps explaining the massive Saquon Barkley-to-New York buzz. Big Blue has now been connected to a trade-down scenario when it did not look like that would be the case for weeks now.
Giants Eyeing Trade-Down Options
With the noise about Baker Mayfield being a surprise Browns No. 1 pick increasing, the Giants could further shake up the draft Thursday night. They are exploring options about trading out of the No. 2 slot.
A Giants source informed ESPN.com’s Dianna Russini (Twitter link) that the team is looking to trade down. Although Russini notes the team is “contemplating all options,” the thinking here is the Giants have many needs to fill after a disastrous 2017 season.
However, this would run counter to Dave Gettleman‘s comments this offseason. The new GM seeks a “gold jacket player” with the No. 2 pick, and buzz about Saquon Barkley being Big Apple-bound gained steam over the past few weeks. The Giants trading out of the top five could remove them from the Barkley equation.
But Big Blue does have needs on its offensive line, in the secondary, at running back and now at wide receiver after the Brandon Marshall release. The Giants have not traded down in many years, and a Giants source told Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv last week the team would be better off picking a superior prospect at No. 2 than moving down and starting its draft with a lesser-regarded one. The Giants have been linked to a possible Quenton Nelson pursuit in the event of a trade-down, but the team many expected to be in the mix for the No. 2 slot — the Bills — may not be especially interested in surrendering enough picks to move that high.
Odell Beckham Jr. Returns To Practice
The Giants continue to communicate Odell Beckham Jr. won’t be traded this year, and it’s still possible they’re going to run into an impasse with their superstar wide receiver as he aims for a landscape-changing extension. But on Thursday, Beckham showed he could be ready to participate extensively in Big Blue’s offseason program.
Beckham returned to practice for the first time since his season-ending ankle injury, partaking in individual drills at the Giants’ voluntary minicamp on Thursday, Danny Abriano of SNY.tv reports.
The 25-year-old standout’s been present for each day of this three-day minicamp, which concludes today, continuing to get some early work in as Pat Shurmur installs his new system. Beckham had not practiced since early October of last year, when his season was cut short in Week 4 when he fractured his ankle against the Chargers.
While it’s possible a holdout takes place later this year, Beckham’s showing the Giants he’s on track to be full-go by the time the season begins.
Browns, Colts Lead League In Cap Space
The Browns and Colts have the most cap room of any team in the NFL heading into draft, as Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter) notes. Here’s the official rundown of every team’s cap space for 2018 on the eve of draft weekend:
- Browns – $69.5MM
- Colts – $59.8MM
- 49ers – $43.8MM
- Titans – $35.8MM
- Texans -$35.6MM
- Bears – $24.1MM
- Jets – $21.9MM
- Bills – $19.4MM
- Jaguars – $18.6MM
- Cardinals – $18.1MM
- Redskins -$17.1MM
- Bengals – $16.8MM
- Packers – $16.2MM
- Vikings – $15.5MM
- Broncos – $14.6MM
- Patriots – $13.8MM
- Buccaneers – $12.3MM
- Cowboys -$11.9MM
- Chargers – $11.4MM
- Lions – $9.4MM
- Giants -$9.4MM
- Ravens – $8.8MM
- Seahawks – $7.6MM
- Chiefs – $6.7MM
- Saints – $5.7MM
- Panthers – $5.2MM
- Dolphins – $2.9MM
- Eagles – $2.2MM
- Steelers – $2MM
- Raiders – $1.8MM
- Falcons – $1.3MM
- Rams – $264K
NFL Draft Rumors: Sweat, Giants, Patriots
FSU pass rusher Josh Sweat is a player to keep an eye on as the NFL Draft approaches. Sweat, a five-star, top-10 overall recruit nationally coming out of high school, impressed at the draft combine and drew the attention of evaluators across the league. However, his history of knee issues including ACL, MCL, PCL injuries have teams concerned, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Interestingly, his 2016 knee surgery was performed by Giants team doctor Russ Warren, and that leads Rapoport to wonder aloud if that could make New York a potential landing spot for him. Sweat has been widely projected as a third round possibility, but it sounds like he could find his way into the second round based on his potential.
Here’s the latest NFL Draft buzz:
- We could see three centers come off of the board in the first round, Rapoport tweets. Arkansas’ Frank Ragnow, Iowa’s James Daniels, and Ohio State’s Billy Price – whose health is no longer a major issue – are all candidates to hear their name called on Day 1. We’ve also heard that Georgia guard Isaiah Wynn could come off the board sooner than expected as teams zero in on interior linemen.
- Former Oregon left tackle Tyrell Crosby spent last week taking visits to the Patriots and Lions, Rapoport tweets. He adds that the Pats are a team to watch, as they could target Nate Solder’s replacement in the draft. Crosby, a 6’5″, 309-pound lineman, missed the bulk of his junior year due to a broken left foot. He rebounded well as a senior, appearing in all 15 games for the Ducks with nine starts. Six of those starts came on the outside at the tackle position.