Giants Place OT Bobby Hart On IR
Bobby Hart‘s longterm outlook with the Giants may not be promising, but he’s sticking around the organization for now. ESPN’s Field Yates reports (via Twitter) that the team has placed the lineman on the injured reserve. The Giants had waived Hart in late December.
The 2015 seventh-round pick out of Florida State has spent his entire career with the Giants, starting 21 of his 33 career games (including seven starts this season). Pro Football Focus wasn’t particularly thrilled with his performance in 2017, ranking him 82nd among 86 eligible offensive tackle candidates. In fact, the lineman’s PFF rating has consistently dropped in each of his three seasons in the NFL.
The 23-year-old does still have a year remaining on his contract, but it doesn’t sound like he’ll be sticking around for very long. Geoff Schwartz of SBNation previously tweeted that the new regime may be looking to clear out “locker room cancers.” Towards this end of this past campaign, Hart randomly informed Giants staff that he wasn’t playing in the team’s Week 17 matchup against the Redskins.
Giants Hire Two More Assistants
- The Giants are planning to hire two more assistants for Pat Shurmur‘s first staff. Deshea Townsend and Ben Wilkerson will be joining the staff as assistant defensive backs coach and assistant offensive line coach, respectively, Alex Marvez of the Sporting News reports. A 13-year NFL veteran corner, Townsend served as the Titans’ DBs coach during Mike Mularkey‘s two-year run. Wilkerson spent the past three seasons on John Fox‘s Bears staff.
Updated 2018 NFL Draft Order
With the Super Bowl in the books, we now know the draft order for the entire first round of the 2018 draft. Here’s the rundown:
1. Cleveland Browns (0-16)
2. New York Giants (3-13)
3. Indianapolis Colts (4-12)
4. Cleveland Browns (via the 4-12 Houston Texans)
5. Denver Broncos (5-11)
6. New York Jets (5-11)
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-11)
8. Chicago Bears (5-11)
T-9. Oakland Raiders (6-10)
T-9. San Francisco 49ers (6-10) (Note: The Raiders and 49ers have identical records and the same strength of schedule. The tie will be broken by a coin flip with the winner getting pick No. 9 and the other club receiving the No. 10 pick.)
11. Miami Dolphins (6-10)
12. Cincinnati Bengals (7-9)
13. Washington Redskins (7-9)
14. Green Bay Packers (7-9)
15. Arizona Cardinals (8-8)
16. Baltimore Ravens (9-7)
17. Los Angeles Chargers (9-7)
18. Seattle Seahawks (9-7)
19. Dallas Cowboys (9-7)
20. Detroit Lions (9-7)
21. Buffalo Bills (9-7)
22. Buffalo Bills (via the 10-6 Kansas City Chiefs)
23. Los Angeles Rams (11-5)
24. Carolina Panthers (11-5)
25. Tennessee Titans (9-7)
26. Atlanta Falcons (10-6)
27. New Orleans Saints (11-5)
28. Pittsburgh Steelers (13-3)
29. Jacksonville Jaguars (10-6)
30. Minnesota Vikings (13-3)
31. New England Patriots (13-3)
32. Philadelphia Eagles (13-3)
Odell Beckham, Jr. Wants To Resolve Contract Situation
- Mercurial Giants wideout Odell Beckham, Jr. is under club control for one more season — the last year of his rookie deal — and it was not too long ago that he was looking for a new contract worth at least $100MM. But a season-ending ankle fracture in October has thrown a wrench into those plans, and we recently learned that team owner John Mara would not engage in contract talks with Beckham until he discussed the matter with new head coach Pat Shurmur. As Anthony Barstow of the New York Post writes, though, Shurmur is seemingly in Beckham’s corner, and Beckham himself is anxious to put the matter to bed. He said during last night’s NFL Honors show, “Hopefully we get it done, just to get it over with. I really want to do it so I can move past it. It’s too much to be sitting around, thinking where I’m going to be.”
Colts To Target Darrell Bevell For Offensive Coordinator
Several weeks ago, it was reported that Josh McDaniels — who will be named as the Colts’ new head coach after today’s Super Bowl — would hire Raiders quarterbacks coach Jake Peetz as Indianapolis’ next offensive coordinator. However, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports that a new name has emerged as McDaniels’ top target for the position: former Seahawks OC Darrell Bevell (Twitter link).
Bevell, of course, has been in high demand. He has already interviewed for the Vikings’ offensive coordinator vacancy, and he interviewed for the Cardinals’ OC job before Arizona hired Mike McCoy. Bevell was also mentioned as a candidate for several quarterbacks coach positions, and Rapoport adds that the Giants are interested in Bevell for their own OC job.
Seattle fired Bevell on January 10, after the team failed to reach the postseason for the first time since 2011. The Seahawks’ offense was a middle-of-the-road unit in 2017, but Bevell was on the sidelines for some of the club’s best seasons, including its Super Bowl XLVIII victory. However, his call for the Seahawks to pass from the 1-yard line spoiled a would-be victory in Super Bowl XLIX, and he was never really able to salvage his reputation with the fans thereafter.
But he apparently does have a number of supporters around the league. Given McDaniels’ background as an offensive guru, it is unlikely Bevell would have the same level of control over the Colts’ offense that he enjoyed in Seattle, but he would be working with one of the league’s best quarterbacks in Andrew Luck.
Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star tweets that he heard Peetz may no longer be in the running for the Colts’ job last week. Peetz did not respond to Holder’s attempts to reach him in the past several days.
Mayfield Had Giants Meeting Scheduled
- Baker Mayfield met with the Jets at the Senior Bowl and had a summit scheduled with the Giants, but that meeting never occurred, Paul Schwartz of the New York Post reports. Although Mayfield has not been mocked to the Giants much early in the pre-draft process, he would be on board with a develop-behind-Eli Manning scenario. “Throwing the ball to (Evan) Engram, Shep and Odell Beckham wouldn’t be too bad, there’s some studs right there,’’ said Mayfield, a college teammate of Sterling Shepard‘s. “Being there, it’s a big-time franchise and in the spotlight. I think I thrive on that. That would be an ideal situation.” The Giants are expected to take a quarterback at No. 2 overall but have made it clear this offseason they intend to keep Manning.
- On the subject of players who want to stay in New York, count Devon Kennard as a fan of new Giants DC James Bettcher. Mostly a base-set linebacker in 2017, Kennard is a UFA. He started 35 games in four seasons with the Giants and calls Bettcher’s possible 3-4 conversion “advantageous” to his skill set. “It’s multiple and he likes versatile linebackers. That sounds right up my alley,” Kennard said, via Newsday’s Tom Rock. “… I expect to hear from (the Giants) in the next few weeks now that the coaching staff is established. Maybe then, but you never know. I don’t know what they’re thinking because it’s a new GM and head coach.” Kennard recorded four sacks last season despite playing as a non-rush ‘backer — the second four-plus-sack slate of his career.
Giants Waiting On Kevin Stefanski Before Hiring OC?
The Giants are thought to be waiting on the fate of Vikings quarterbacks coach Kevin Stefanski before deciding on an offensive coordinator, sources tell Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com.
[RELATED: 2018 NFL Coordinator Tracker]
Stefanski is in the running for OC jobs in both New York and Minnesota, but because he’d be allowed to call plays for the Vikings (something new head coach Pat Shurmur will do for the Giants), Stefanski would presumably prefer to remain in purple. However, Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer has other candidates in mind, including former Seahawks OC Darrell Bevell, Texans quarterbacks coach Sean Ryan, and Saints tight ends coach Dan Campbell, so Stefanski isn’t guaranteed the role. Minnesota is expected to announce its new play-caller following the Super Bowl.
The Giants have several reported candidates aside from Stefanski, as well, but the club hasn’t yet officially set up any interviews. Former Cardinals OC Harold Goodwin and Eagles running backs coach Duce Staley have both been mentioned as possibilites, but a Staley addition seems unlikely, per Raanan. Shurmur has indicated he prefers a veteran coach who is experienced with quarterbacks, and Staley has only led running backs during his six-year coaching career.
Eagles quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo could be throwing a wrench in both the Vikings and Giants searches, as he can’t be hired until the Super Bowl concludes on Sunday. DeFilippo has been mentioned as a candidate in Minnesota, and Ranaan mentions that DeFilippo could be in consideration for the G-Men, as well (although there’s been no official report to that effect).
Eli Manning OK With QB At No. 2
If the Giants use the No. 2 overall pick on a quarterback, that’s just fine with Eli Manning.
Manning also says that he is willing to help the Giants to mold a rookie quarterback, though he does not view that as his primary task:
East Rumors: Cowboys, Bills, Fins, Giants
The Cowboys are nearly finished revamping their coaching staff, as they’ve promoted Keith O’Quinn to special teams coordinator and promoted Ben Bloom as linebackers coach, reports Todd Archer of ESPN.com. O’Quinn, who was previously Dallas’ assistant ST coach, was widely expected to be promoted to the full-time role to replace Rich Bisaccia, who left to join Jon Gruden‘s Raiders. Bloom, meanwhile, joined the Cowboys’ staff in 2011 and had most recently been an assistant coach for special projects. He’s taking over for Matt Eberflus, who is expected to become the Colts’ new defensive coordinator under presumptive head coach Josh McDaniels. Dallas is still planning to fill more two roles, tweets David Moore of the Dallas Morning News, as the club wants to hire a new tight ends coach and an assistant special teams coach to work under O’Quinn.
Here’s more from the NFL’s two East divisions:
- While the Bills‘ pass defense finished 12th in DVOA thanks to solid performances from rookie cornerback Tre’Davious White and veteran safeties Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer, Buffalo has parted ways with defensive backs coach Gill Byrd, according to Tim Graham of the Buffalo News (Twitter link). To replace Byrd, the Bills have hired former Texans secondary coach John Butler, reports Alex Marvez of the Sporting News. Butler had spent the past four seasons Houston after following Bill O’Brien from Penn State to the Texans.
- The Dolphins have also found a new defensive backs coach, the club has hired Tony Oden to replace Lou Anarumo, per Marvez. Detroit parted ways with Oden last week as the team clears out its defensive staff prior to future head coach Matt Patricia‘s arrival. Oden had been with the Lions since 2014, but his tenure in the Motor City didn’t overlap with that of Miami defensive coordinator Matt Burke, who had left the club the year prior. Oden, who will now work with Xavien Howard, Reshad Jones, and T.J. McDonald, among others, has also coached with the Saints, Buccaneers, and Jaguars.
- One of the least productive units in the NFL has a new position coach, as the Giants have hired Hal Hunter as their offensive line coach, reports Marvez. Hunter boasts a lengthy coaching history that dates back to 1984, but he only first entered the NFL in 2006. He coached the Chargers’ offensive line and subsequently became San Diego’s offensive coordinator, and also had stops in Indianapolis and Cleveland.
Top 3 Offseason Needs: New York Giants
In advance of March 14, the start of free agency in the NFL, Pro Football Rumors will detail each team’s three most glaring roster issues. We’ll continue this year’s series with the New York Giants, who are looking to rebound from a disastrous 2017 season:
Depth Chart (via Roster Resource)
Pending Free Agents:
- Akeem Ayers, LB
- Nick Becton, T
- Nat Berhe, S
- Adam Bisnowaty, T (ERFA)
- Jay Bromley, DT
- Jonathan Casillas, LB
- Ross Cockrell, CB
- Orleans Darkwa, RB
- D.J. Fluker, G
- Curtis Grant, LB (ERFA)
- John Greco, G
- Jon Halapio, G (ERFA)
- Mark Herzlich, LB
- Brett Jones, C (RFA)
- Devon Kennard, LB
- Tavarres King, WR
- Darryl Morris, CB
- Ryan O’Malley, TE (ERFA)
- Justin Pugh, G
- Weston Richburg, C
- Keenan Robinson, LB
- Travis Rudolph, WR (ERFA)
- Kelvin Sheppard, LB
- Deontae Skinner, LB (RFA)
- Geno Smith, QB
- Robert Thomas, DT (ERFA)
- Shane Vereen, RB
- Kerry Wynn, DE
Top 10 Cap Hits for 2018:
- Eli Manning, QB: $22,200,000
- Jason Pierre-Paul, DE: $17,500,000
- Olivier Vernon, DE: $17,000,000
- Janoris Jenkins, CB: $13,000,000
- Damon Harrison, DT: $9,600,000
- Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB: $8,500,000
- Odell Beckham Jr., WR: $8,459,000
- Brandon Marshall, WR: $6,156,250
- Ereck Flowers, T: $4,579,219
- Eli Apple, CB: $4,132,436
Other:
- Projected cap space (via Over the Cap): $22,955,068
- Second pick in draft
- Must exercise or decline 2019 fifth-year option for T Ereck Flowers
Three Needs:
1. Identify the quarterback of the future. Not long ago, it seemed like a sure thing that Eli Manning was a goner in New York. But, things move quickly in the greater NYC area. Owner John Mara wants Manning back in the fold. Manning wants to stay too, despite his temporary demotion late in the season. New GM Dave Gettleman and head coach Pat Shurmur have also said that they intend to have Eli under center in 2018. All signs are pointing to the two-time Super Bowl champ being back in blue, but the Giants surely know that this is the beginning of the end for Manning. 
This year’s free agent quarterback market is stronger than any in recent memory, but the Giants will not be among the teams to make a play for Kirk Cousins, nor will they try and coax Drew Brees to leave New Orleans (it’s not likely that Brees will hit the open market anyway). Manning will eat up $22MM of the salary cap and there’s no realistic scenario in which the Giants can keep him on board as an extraordinarily expensive backup. Even if they could swing it somehow, Manning would object and the Giants faithful would burn the Meadowlands to the ground.
The Giants are expected to use the No. 2 overall pick on one of this year’s top quarterbacks. Unless the Browns go all-in and sign Kirk Cousins in free agency, they’ll probably see one of those QBs come off the board before they are called to the podium.
Although new Browns GM John Dorsey says that he’ll be considering a pool of four or five players at No. 1, most believe that Cleveland will select either USC star Sam Darnold or UCLA standout Josh Rosen. As most mock drafts will tell you, the common belief is that the Browns will take Darnold, who is believed to be the safer choice despite throwing 13 interceptions in 2017.
Does that mean the Giants will take Rosen? Probably, but that’s far from definite. Rosen’s outspoken personality would work better in New York than in most markets, but he too had some ill-timed interceptions and the shoulder injury that shut him down in 2016 is still a concern. How about Wyoming’s Josh Allen? Allen’s decision making and accuracy has been questioned, but he’s an impressive athlete for a 6’5″ QB and his arm strength is top notch. You may also hear some Baker Mayfield talk between now and April, but we’d be surprised if the Giants reached for him this early.
2. Remake the offensive line. The Giants offense struggled in large part because of the rash of injuries to its wide receiver core and, perhaps, some iffy performances from Manning, but the offensive line was downright porous. In fact, it was a desire to fix the Giants’ Swiss cheese O-Line that broke the ice between Shurmur and Gettleman. 
“As soon as he said, ‘Everything starts with the offensive line,’“said Shurmur when asked when the conversation between him and the GM really clicked (via NJ.com). “There’s a great example of that: What we went through in Minnesota. We didn’t change the oil; we changed the transmission. We got two free agent offensive linemen, we drafted a center that played like a veteran, and we transformed the offensive line that helped us do the things (to) win 14 games.”
That offensive line transformation in Minnesota helped turn Case Keenum from a career journeyman to a top 10 quarterback in an instant. It started in free agency when the Vikings signed Riley Reiff (five-year, $58.75MM deal with $26.3MM guaranteed) and Mike Remmers (five-year, $30MM deal with $10.5MM guaranteed). Then, in the draft, they traded up in the third round to land eventual starting center Pat Elflein. The revamp didn’t come easy or cheap, but it made a world of difference for the Vikings.
Last year, the Giants’ were 21st in the NFL in sacks allowed (34) and 26th in rushing yards per game (86.6). They must improve in both areas, and that can only be achieved with a serious shakeup.
Gettleman already got the party started in December when he cut starting right tackle Bobby Hart. You can expect much more turnover, particularly with a pair of injury-prone linemen – center Weston Richburg and swing tackle Justin Pugh – headed towards free agency. Former first-round pick Ereck Flowers figures to remain, but the Giants probably won’t bank on him being their starting left tackle after another iffy season.
This year’s free agent tackle class is headlined by a trio of tackles from the AFC East: Ju’Wuan James (Dolphins), Nate Solder (Patriots), and Cameron Fleming (Patriots). After that, there’s a noticeable dip in quality. Steelers lineman Chris Hubbard may be the only other starting quality available tackle.
If the Giants want to hit a home run on the interior line, they could make a run at Panthers free agent Andrew Norwell. The guard, 27 in October, is coming off of a career year in which he graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 3 ranked guard, putting him ahead of big names such as Josh Sitton, Joel Bitonio, Rodger Saffold, Ron Leary, Kevin Zeitler, and Richie Incognito. Only Zack Martin and David DeCastro placed ahead of Norwell, and that may give you an idea of the kind of money the Giants would have to shell out for him on the open market. Gettleman, who originally signed Norwell as an undrafted free agent when he was the Panthers’ GM, could break the bank to make it happen. When it comes to the top linemen, they’ll be competing with other clubs in win-now mode looking for offensive line help, including the Cardinals and Bengals.
There’s virtually no chance of the Giants using their No. 2 overall pick on a lineman (see: offseason need #1), but gems could be found in the later rounds. Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson and Texas tackle Connor Williams will long gone by the time the Giants’ next turn comes up at No. 34 overall, but tackles Mike McGlinchey (Notre Dame), Orlando Brown (Oklahoma), Chukwuma Okorafor (Western Michigan), and Kolton Miller (UCLA) could be in play.
3. Add a running back. Orleans Darkwa was the Giants’ lead rusher this year and you may be surprised to learn that he had career highs in yards per carry (4.4), catches (19), and receiving yards (116). But, the soon-to-be 26-year-old is scheduled for free agency and there’s no guarantee that the new regime will look to keep him. Ditto for third down back Shane Vereen. Darkwa seems more likely to stay on board than Vereen, but either way there’s little chance of both returning. That opens up the door for a new tailback and there are a few interesting ones who could be available.
Patriots tailback Dion Lewis stayed healthy in 2017 and averaged 5.0 yards per carry with 32 catches for 214 yards.
Isaiah Crowell and Carlos Hyde both played well last year despite being a part of atrocious offenses. Father time is undefeated, but the Giants could sign Frank Core to a front-loaded deal to see if he can continue his remarkable run past his 35th birthday. Jerick McKinnon could add some serious athleticism and pass-catching acumen to the backfield, but the Giants will have to find someone else to tote the rock ~13 times per game.
If the Giants go QB at No. 2 like we expect, Penn State star Saquon Barkley won’t be an option for them. Derrius Guice (LSU), Ronald Jones II (USC), and Damien Harris (Alabama) all seem slated for the first round, but Kerryon Johnson (Auburn) could slip to them at No. 34, depending on how the combines shake out. A few weeks ago, we would have mentioned Georgia running back Sony Michel as a diamond in the rough, but he has gone from an under-the-radar find to a first round prospect, as Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports recently detailed.