Giants HC: OBJ To Remain With Team
Despite trade chatter throughout the offseason, Odell Beckham Jr. isn’t going anywhere, according to Pat Shurmur. He will “absolutely” be a part of the team in 2018, the Giants head coach says (Twitter link via Kim Jones of NFL.com). Shurmur added that the has been in frequent contact with the wide receiver. 
Shurmur’s comments jibe with the latest we’ve heard on OBJ. Teams no longer believe that the Giants are looking to move the superstar receiver before or during the draft, despite concerns from the club about his off-the-field decisions. It appears the Giants are willing to move forward with Beckham Jr., though they’ll have to address his contract situation as he enters his walk year.
Beckham is reportedly pushing for a $100MM+ contract and the Giants will likely have to break the $90MM barrier to lock him up for the long term. However, the Giants can still control Beckham through the 2020 season via consecutive franchise tags. In theory, the Giants could even control OBJ through 2021 with three straight franchise tags, though the cost of a third tag would likely be prohibitive.
Beckham followed through on his plan to report to the Giants for offseason activities, which is perhaps a productive first step towards getting the contract he’s after. The new regime in New York will be watching Beckham closely as they consider his future with the club beyond 2018.
Giants Looking To Trade Ereck Flowers
As the 2018 draft approaches, the Giants are looking to unload a former top 10 pick. The Giants have had trade discussions centered around former first round tackle Ereck Flowers, sources tell NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). Meanwhile, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY (on Twitter) hears the Giants aren’t expecting a big return for him. The Giants believe a deal is possible, but they understand that they won’t get much in terms of compensation. 
Flowers, who doesn’t turn 24 until April, has not panned out for the Giants. The University of Miami product has earned poor grades in each of his three years as the Giants’ starting left tackle and new addition Nate Solder is expected to man the left side for the Giants in 2018. Flowers, in theory, could handle duties at right tackle, but the new administration led by Dave Gettleman would apparently prefer a fresh start.
Given the need for tackles around the league, the Giants can’t necessarily bank on finding a replacement for Flowers at No. 34 overall. It is expected that Connor Williams (Texas) and Mike McGlinchey (Notre Dame) will be long gone by the time the Giants come up in the second round, so they may have to settle for lesser prospects like Tyrell Crosby (Oregon), Brian O’Neill (Pitt), and Kolton Miller (UCLA) if they want a tackle with that selection.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/23/2018
Here are today’s minor moves:
New England Patriots
- Signed: OL Ulrick John
New York Giants
- Waived: WR Darius Powe
Bills Unlikely To Trade Up To Giants’ No. 2 Pick?
Many have speculated that the Bills will use the Nos. 12 and 22 picks to move up to the top 5 and the Giants, who are reportedly split on this year’s top quarterback prospects, appear to be logical trade partner. However, that might not be in the cards. 
Right now, it seems unlikely that Bills GM Brandon Beane will “sell out” and trade up to the second pick, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (video link). Instead, the Bills are more likely to make a move if a QB they like falls to No. 5 or No. 6.
The writing has been on the wall for the Bills to make a move for a quarterback in this draft ever since the team dealt Tyrod Taylor to the Browns. Though there is a chance a quarterback they like could fall to No. 12, it has long been speculated the team will use both picks to go after the team’s No. 1 target.
With the Browns (No. 1 and No. 4) and Jets (No. 3) likely locked in to taking a quarterback, Buffalo could find more likely trade partners in the Broncos and Colts. Denver has the No. 5 pick and could be out of the quarterback market after they signed Case Keenum in the offseason. The Colts at No. 6 could also be looking to acquire additional assets from a team looking to get in on the quarterback feeding frenzy.
The Cardinals have been heavily linked to Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield and could also be looking to move up into the top 10 if the Heisman Trophy winner falls.
Community Tailgate: Giants’ Barkley Fit
With the draft four days away, the prospect of Saquon Barkley becoming the first running back to go off the board in the top two since Reggie Bush has steadily increased. The Giants/Barkley noise has intensified.
The Giants hold their highest pick since 1981, when they chose Lawrence Taylor at No. 2, and have a quarterback who is set to play his age-37 season in 2018. With all but one QB likely to be available to Big Blue at No. 2, it could be argued — as some in the organization appear to have done — the Giants should not forgo a chance to add a possible Eli Manning successor only to draft this year’s best running back prospect. They have not held a top-five selection since the Manning trade 14 years ago, so it can’t be considered a lock they’ll have this opportunity again soon.
New York also has needs on its offensive line, at cornerback and on its front seven, putting a trade-down decision in play. A Bradley Chubb pick would go about meeting need and value if he is the No. 2 choice, but Barkley may well be the No. 1 prospect on the Giants’ board. And Dave Gettleman, who held key decision-making positions when the Giants used a No. 7 pick on Ron Dayne (2000) and a No. 32 choice on David Wilson (2012), does not look to believe running backs aren’t the commodities they used to be. (At least, he’s not saying so publicly.)
The Giants also need a better answer in the backfield. Jonathan Stewart is nearing the end of his career, and Paul Perkins and Wayne Gallman may be backup types. As a player who’s been rated by some high-profile draft experts as being a better prospect than Ezekiel Elliott, Barkley would surely take care of that and join an offense that would have Odell Beckham Jr., Sterling Shepard and Evan Engram (and if Dez Bryant gets his way, Dez Bryant) at the skill spots. The Penn State superstar being in that mix could change the equation for the Giants, who ranked 26th in rushing offense and scored just 15.4 points per game (31st in the league) last season. Elliott sure made an impact for the Cowboys as a rookie, but he had a much better offensive line in front of him.
The Jaguars invested a No. 4 overall pick in Leonard Fournette a year ago. He’s Jacksonville’s unquestioned starter going forward, but the Jags saw third-rounders Alvin Kamara and Kareem Hunt have superior rookie seasons. Devonta Freeman was just a fourth-round pick, and Jordan Howard went in the 2016 fifth round. Le’Veon Bell, a second-rounder, is gunning for a No. 1 receiver-level contract And this running back class is viewed as another strong group, and intriguing ball-carriers will be available on Day 2.
ESPN’s Todd McShay was definitive in his stance that Barkley will be a Giant, and the franchise’s interest in him appears to be genuine. PFR readers overwhelmingly believe that’s what will happen. The Giants had one of the 2000s’ best backfield options in Tiki Barber, but they won a Super Bowl the year after he retired and won another four years later when they ranked last in rushing. This franchise has deployed successful backs since Barber, in Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw, but Big Blue has shown it hasn’t necessarily needed a top-tier back to thrive in the recent past.
So, should the Giants use their top offseason resource to draft Barkley? Is he worth the team bypassing a possible long-term quarterback option when the running back position has seen its value take numerous hits this century? Or would the Giants be reaching if they took a quarterback who might not play until 2020 over a well-reviewed running back who could have an Elliott-esque effect on their offense this season? Weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section!
Giants Could Seek To Trade Ereck Flowers During Draft, Could Acquire UDFA Punter
- Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com says the Giants could look to trade offensive tackle Ereck Flowers during the draft, though that will probably be a difficult trick to pull off. Raanan also says Big Blue has done a lot of pre-draft work on punters this year, and he believes the team could bring in a UDFA punter to compete with Riley Dixon. Dixon was recently acquired from Denver for a conditional seventh-round pick, so if he does not make the club, the Giants will likely not need to surrender the pick.
Is Davis Webb Impacting Giants' Draft Decisions? Can Giants Trade Down?
There are plenty who believe that the Giants would be foolish to pass up one of the top QBs in this year’s draft to select Saquon Barkley, regardless of how good Barkley is. But Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com wonders if the presence of Davis Webb, whom the Giants selected in the third round of last year’s draft, is impacting New York’s decision-making. Webb has impressed with his work ethic and preparation, and while it is unclear how highly the new regime values Webb, it could be that the Giants feel better about their short- and long-term QB situation than those outside the organization (plus, Webb still has a major supporter within the front office in president of player evaluation Chris Mara). Therefore, maybe it would not be much of a surprise to see Big Blue pull the trigger on a non-QB with their No. 2 overall pick.
There are plenty who believe that the Giants would be foolish to pass up one of the top QBs in this year’s draft to select Saquon Barkley, regardless of how good Barkley is. But Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com wonders if the presence of Davis Webb, whom the Giants selected in the third round of last year’s draft, is impacting New York’s decision-making. Webb has impressed with his work ethic and preparation, and while it is unclear how highly the new regime values Webb, it could be that the Giants feel better about their short- and long-term QB situation than those outside the organization (plus, Webb still has a major supporter within the front office in president of player evaluation Chris Mara). Therefore, maybe it would not be much of a surprise to see Big Blue pull the trigger on a non-QB with their No. 2 overall pick.
Now for a roundup of more draft-related rumors, starting with another note on the Giants:
- The Giants could also trade their No. 2 overall pick to a team who really does want to snag one of this year’s top QB prospects, but as Raanan notes, New York is going to ask for a major haul in exchange for that selection — including multiple first-round picks — and clubs that want to move up may be better served in making a deal with the Broncos or Colts (who hold the Nos. 5 and 6 overall picks, respectively). Raanan points out that Denver and Indianapolis have been talking to teams about the possibility of moving down, which hurts the Giants’ leverage.
Could The Giants Still Target Bradley Chubb Or Quenton Nelson?
- Ryan Dunleavy of NJ Advanced Media looks into the possibility of the Giants picking someone other than Sam Darnold or Saquon Barkley with the No. 2 overall pick of the upcoming draft. Dunleavy notes that reports have indicated that the team is deciding between the two, depending on whom the Browns go with at No. 1. North Carolina State defensive end Bradley Chubb or Notre Dame Guard Quenton Nelson could also be options. Dunleavy points out the draft is light on pass-rushers and Giants general manager Dave Gettleman didn’t seem to be scared off by the idea of taking a guard that high. “Is it ever too early to take a great player? You know my philosophy: Big men allow you to compete and you have to build your lines. I’m going to build this team from the inside out,” Gettleman said to Dunleavy.
- Paul Schwartz of the New York Post opines that Mason Rudolph could be an enticing option for the Giants in the second round. He also doesn’t expect the team to take a kicker late in the draft. Aldrick Rosas — an undrafted rookie last season who 18 of 25 field goals and 20 of 23 extra points — is currently projected to start at the position.
Jets Engaged In Mayfield-Rosen Debate?
Less than a week remains until the rampant Jets quarterback rumor cycle will slow down, after the Kirk Cousins pursuit and the months-long prospect evaluations have kept the Big Apple’s AFC team at the center of many offseason news cycles.
But the identity of Gang Green’s hopeful franchise quarterback remains unknown, and the latest coming out of Jets headquarters centers on two players — with a catch.
New York would likely be quick to take Sam Darnold if the USC-developed passer remained on the board at No. 3. Though they didn’t work him out, the Jets finalized a Darnold visit because of the signs the Browns may pass on him at No. 1, Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv reports. But if he goes to either the Browns or Giants, the Jets look to be engaged in an interesting debate.
Although the Jets were the only team to trek to Laramie, Wyo., to work out Josh Allen, the latest noise related to their No. 3 overall pick centers on a Baker Mayfield-or-Josh Rosen decision. Brian Costello of the New York Post describes a “hearty debate” among Jets brass about the merits of the 2017 Heisman Trophy winner or the brash UCLA product who may be the most pro-ready passer in this draft. Both Schwartz and Vacchiano expect Darnold to be the pick if he’s still there at 3, but if he’s gone, these contingency talks could decide the Jets’ future.
Mike Maccagnan was reportedly a Mayfield skeptic earlier the pre-draft process, with Rosen having the early advantage in this head-to-head comparison, but Vacchiano notes the fourth-year GM looks to have warmed up to him. The Jets’ concerns about how Mayfield would handle the New York market look to have diminished as well. All four of the top QB prospects visited the Jets, but they did the most work on Allen.
As we heard earlier this month, the Jets have concerns about Allen’s readiness — mostly based on his accuracy at Wyoming — and may not be especially interested in the 6-foot-5 prodigy. However, a Jets faction “loves” Allen’s skill set. Allen falling past the Browns would create an interesting scenario, because the Giants appear to be zeroing in on Darnold or Saquon Barkley at No. 2. His being there at No. 4 could make the Browns’ second first-round pick valuable for QB-seeking teams, because John Elway — whose Broncos hold the No. 5 selection — has a history of preferring this type of quarterback.
The Jets did not call the Giants about moving to No. 2 instead of No. 3, but Vacchiano reports the NFC’s Big Apple team would have listened to an offer. With the Jets having surrendered three second-round picks to move up to the Colts’ slot, though, Vacchiano notes there is a feeling in the building that the team has already made its big move and is set to stay at No. 3 and pick its favorite quarterback remaining.
Latest On Giants’ No. 2 Pick
As Round 1 looms in six days, Saquon Barkley has surged to the center of the Giants’ radar screen. While that interest is real, per Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv, this shouldn’t be viewed as a surefire pick.
There are some at Giants headquarters who think passing on a possible franchise quarterback “would be nuts,” per Vacchiano, who adds Sam Darnold likely remains the quarterback Big Blue would target (if he’s available). The Giants do not appear to be interested in Baker Mayfield or Josh Allen, and Vacchiano adds the team doesn’t seem to be as sure about this quarterback class as the one 14 years ago that produced their current starter.
Josh Rosen‘s stock may have taken a slight hit compared to where he was at the end of his final UCLA season, but one source informed Vacchiano he should not be ruled out of a New York selection. He was believed by some to be the favorite here early in the pre-draft process. A report earlier this month indicated the Giants were down on Rosen, but we are in peak smokescreen time.
Barkley is likely the No. 1 player on the Giants’ board, Vacchiano notes, adding that the team appears to prefer him to Bradley Chubb and may just view the Penn State sensation as an too much of a talent to pass up, regardless of positional value. ESPN’s Todd McShay has heard immense Barkley praise coming out of New York lately, and PFR readers’ early consensus is Barkley will be Big Apple-bound.
While the Giants are high on Chubb and Quenton Nelson, Vacchiano writes these two are likelier fits if they trade down, pointing to the Notre Dame guard in particular in a trade-down scenario. Paul Schwartz of the New York Post reported Nelson was a top-three player on New York’s board and a target if the team trades down. If the Giants were to move down and target Chubb, they probably wouldn’t be able to drop too far. Any trade-down move, though, may be less likely than the franchise just picking its preferred prospect.
“Why would we (trade down) and pass on either the best quarterback or best player on our board?” one Giants source told Vacchiano.
This is the highest pick the Giants have held since 1981, when they landed Lawrence Taylor, and Dave Gettleman has repeatedly said he would like a “gold jacket” player with his first pick as GM.