New York Giants Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

Odell Beckham Jr. Wants To Be NFL's Highest-Paid Player

By Connor J. Byrne | at July 27, 2017 6:29 pm

The Giants aren’t prioritizing a new contract for wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who’s under control at eminently affordable prices through next season. If they do attempt to lock up Beckham down the line, it doesn’t seem that it’s going to be an easy negotiation. Beckham told uninterrupted.com on Thursday that he’s aiming to eventually become the NFL’s highest-paid player (via Paul Schwartz of the New York Post). “It’s like the elephant in the room and you don’t want to talk about it,’’ said Beckham. “I’ve gotten to a point in my life where I’m like, there’s no need to not talk about it. I believe that I will be, hopefully not just the highest-paid receiver in the league, but the highest paid, period.”

As great as Beckham has been during his three-year career, the top-paid honor tends to belong to a quarterback. That’s the case right now, with the Raiders’ Derek Carr‘s just-signed deal (five years, $125MM-plus) atop the heap on an annual basis. The Steelers’ Antonio Brown leads all receivers in yearly pay ($17MM per on a four-year, $68MM accord), but he lags far behind Carr. And it might be awhile before the 24-year-old Beckham is even able to challenge Brown and the league’s other richest wideouts, given that the Giants will have the option of placing the franchise tag on him for tolerable costs in both 2019 and ’20 if he’s unsigned. In the meantime, Beckham’s set to play this year for $1.8MM – a pittance relative to his production – and the Giants picked up his $8.5MM fifth-year option for 2018.

Giants coach Ben McAdoo told reporters on Thursday that defensive end Owa Odighizuwa has reported to camp (Twitter link via Schwartz). Odighizuwa stayed away from the Giants during the offseason on account of personal issues.

2 comments Dallas Cowboys New York Giants Washington Commanders Ezekiel Elliott Odell Beckham Jr.Owa Odighizuwa Ronnie Hillman Trent Murphy

WR Roger Lewis No Longer Facing OVI Charge

By Ben Levine | at July 24, 2017 9:01 pm

Giants wide receiver Roger Lewis is no longer facing charge of operating a vehicle while impaired, as Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com writes. Of course, the 23-year-old could still face punishment from the NFL even though he is legally in the clear. Last year, Lewis appeared in 13 games for the G-Men and finished with seven catches for 97 yards and two touchdowns.

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Giants wide receiver Roger Lewis is no longer facing charge of operating a vehicle while impaired, as Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com writes. Of course, the 23-year-old could still face punishment from the NFL even though he is legally in the clear. Last year, Lewis appeared in 13 games for the G-Men and finished with seven catches for 97 yards and two touchdowns.

1 comment Atlanta Falcons Minnesota Vikings New York Giants Philadelphia Eagles C.J. Ham Devonta Freeman Dorial Green-Beckham Roger Lewis Shelton Gibson

Giants Notes: Sheppard, Pugh

By Dallas Robinson | at July 23, 2017 3:52 pm

With B.J. Goodson entrenched as the club’s starting middle linebacker, the Giants are unlikely to re-sign Kelvin Sheppard, reports Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com. Sheppard, 29, started 11 games for New York last season, but was essentially a two-down player, as he saw action on only 40% of the team’s defensive snaps. Goodson, Jonathan Casillas, and Devon Kennard figure to serve as Big Blue’s starting ‘backers, with Kenan Robinson and J.T. Thomas serving as relatively high-priced reserves.

With B.J. Goodson entrenched as the club’s starting middle linebacker, the Giants are unlikely to re-sign Kelvin Sheppard, reports Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com. Sheppard, 29, started 11 games for New York last season, but was essentially a two-down player, as he saw action on only 40% of the team’s defensive snaps. Goodson, Jonathan Casillas, and Devon Kennard figure to serve as Big Blue’s starting ‘backers, with Kenan Robinson and J.T. Thomas serving as relatively high-priced reserves.
The Giants aren’t expected to reach an extension with guard Justin Pugh, as the fifth-year pro seemingly wants to reach the free agent market in 2018, as James Kratch of NJ.com writes. The upper echelon of the guard market has now hit the $12MM mark, and it’s possible Pugh could hit that barrier with another solid season. Pugh, a 55-game starter during his career, will earn $8.821MM next year, and Kratch believes the franchise tag (with a cost near $15MM) could be in play for 2018.

5 comments Dallas Cowboys New York Giants Washington Commanders Brian Quick Ezekiel Elliott Justin Pugh Kelvin Sheppard Zack Martin

Giants Could Use Veteran Addition At CB

By Dallas Robinson | at July 18, 2017 7:54 pm

Given that their roster is mostly set, the Giants may not have a need for a veteran addition, but the club could use more cornerback depth, opines James Kratch of NJ.com. New York doesn’t have significant talent behind its starting unit of Janoris Jenkins, Eli Apple, and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, as option such as Valentino Blake, Michael Hunter, and Donte Deayon are next in line. Free agents like Brandon Flowers and Alterraun Verner could be on the Giants’ radar, per Kratch, and I’d toss out Leon Hall — who spent the 2016 season with Big Blue — as another possibility.

1 comment Dallas Cowboys Miami Dolphins New England Patriots New York Giants Philadelphia Eagles Marcus Smith

Offseason In Review: New York Giants

By Zachary Links | at July 13, 2017 11:52 am

Last offseason, the Giants made some serious noise by adding defensive tackle Damon Harrison, cornerback Janoris Jenkins, and defensive end Olivier Vernon in free agency. Thanks in large part to those upgrades, the Giants reached the playoffs for the first time since the 2011 season. Unfortunately, this postseason trip didn’t go quite the same way as they were blown out by the Packers in the opening round.

This year, as a result of last year’s expenditures, they had decidedly less cap room to work with. Will the Giants’ spring and summer moves allow them to get back into contention?

Notable signings:

Jason Pierre-Paul, DE: Four years, $62MM. $29MM guaranteed. Had been assigned franchise tag.
Rhett Ellison, TE: Four years, $18MM. $8MM guaranteed.
Brandon Marshall, WR: Two years, $11MM. $5MM guaranteed.
John Jerry, G: Three years, $10MM. $4.25MM guaranteed.
D.J. Fluker, G: One year, $3MM. $1.5MM guaranteed.
Keenan Robinson, LB: One year, $2.6MM. $1MM guaranteed. $800K available via incentives.
Zak DeOssie, LS: Two years, $2.315MM. $400K guaranteed.
Geno Smith, QB: One year, $1.2MM. $300K guaranteed. $800K available via incentives.
Orleans Darkwa, RB: One year, $1.1MM. $200K guaranteed.
Josh Johnson, QB: Two years, $1.95MM. $100K guaranteed.
Shaun Draughn, RB: One year, $1MM. $100K guaranteed.
Mark Herzlich, LB: One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K guaranteed.
Devin Taylor, DE: One year, minimum salary benefit. $40K guaranteed.
Valentino Blake, CB: One year, minimum salary benefit. $20K guaranteed.
Kerry Wynn, DE: One year, $1.797MM. Signed original round RFA tender.
Corbin Bryant, DT: One year, minimum salary benefit.
Duke Ihenacho, S: Contract terms unknown.

It’s hard not to be happy for Jason Pierre-Paul. Two years ago, it seemed like Pierre-Paul had thrown his career away in an unfortunate fireworks accident. However, JPP has proved many NFL analysts and armchair doctors wrong by performing at a high level even with one-and-a-half digits missing on his right hand. Finally, Pierre-Paul got the fat multi-year deal he was seeking this offseason with a four-year, $62MM commitment from the G-men. The deal gave JPP solid cashflow through the first two seasons (roughly $35MM, according to reports) and allowed the Giants to avoid having to pay him an exorbitant 2017 salary under the one-year franchise tag.

Rhett Ellison might not sell a ton of jerseys in the New York area, but the Giants are hoping he’ll provide quality blocking when needed. Ellison, 29 in October, certainly wasn’t signed for his offensive skills as he averaged just 10 receptions per season during his five-year run in Minnesota. The $4.5MM average annual value of his deal took many by surprise, but the Giants had to compete with the Jaguars for his services and they felt that he was the right fit for their system. Fortunately, they have Will Tye returning this year plus a promising first-round tight end (more on him later) to provide Eli Manning with large targets across the middle of the field.

Is Brandon Marshall in decline, or was he just bogged down with the rest of the Jets’ offensive quagmire in 2016? The Giants are about to find out. Last year, Marshall had just 59 grabs for 788 yards and three scores. Those aren’t awful numbers, per se, but they pale in comparison to his previous stat lines. In 2015, Marshall’s first year with Gang Green, he had 109 catches for 1,502 yards and a career-high 14 TDs. If all goes well, Marshall’s first year with the other tenant of the swamp should yield results somewhere in the middle. Marshall could do a lot of damage as defenses focus in on Odell Beckham Jr. and speedster Sterling Shepard, but he also won’t be getting as many looks as he has been accustomed to. The good news is that the veteran has probably prepared himself for that mentally. Marshall signed with the Giants in large part because of his desire to win a Super Bowl and he is effectively choosing to do his damage in ODB’s shadow rather than being the No. 1 receiver for a non-playoff team. In his eleven career NFL seasons with the Broncos, Dolphins, Bears, and Jets, Marshall has yet to see the postseason.

In order for Marshall to thrive, the offensive line will have to do its part and protect Eli Manning in the pocket. To help accomplish that, the Giants added a bit of depth on the interior of the line. The Giants signed former Chargers first-round pick D.J. Fluker early on in free agency, a move that some thought would squeeze right guard John Jerry out of New York. Instead, the Giants moved to re-sign Jerry just two days later. The early word out of camp is that Jerry will start at right guard and the team may be too gung-ho about Bobby Hart at right tackle to give Fluker an opportunity there. Right now, it seems like Fluker actually projects as a swingman off of the bench. Alternatively, the Giants could drop Fluker before the start of the season and save $1.5MM against the cap.

Marshall isn’t the only player changing jerseys while staying in the same building. Geno Smith, who has spent his NFL career on the back page of the New York tabloids for all the wrong reasons, will attempt to reboot his career as Manning’s clipboard holder. Unfortunately for him, things are not going well so far in camp. Veteran Josh Johnson is currently the favorite to win the QB2 job while third-round pick Davis Webb pretty much has a guaranteed roster spot. That could leave Smith without a job this summer. The G-Men will only have to carry $325K in dead money if they part ways with the ex-Jet.

Will Beatty, T
Victor Cruz, WR: Released
Larry Donnell, TE
Robbie Gould, K
Leon Hall, CB
Johnathan Hankins, DT
Rashad Jennings, RB
Will Johnson, FB: Released
Ryan Nassib, QB
Marshall Newhouse, T
Coty Sensabaugh, CB
Kelvin Sheppard, LB
Bobby Rainey, RB
Trevin Wade, CB
Nikita Whitlock, FB

Early on, it looked like defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins badly misread the market when he turned down the Giants’ four-year, $28MM offer. Instead, his agents were rewarded for their bravado when Hankins inked a three-year deal with the Colts worth up to $30MM. If Hankins does well in Indianapolis, he’ll be poised for another major payday in free agency at the age of 28. For the Giants, the departure of Hankins means that they’ll be relying on a talented but inexperienced replacement to start alongside Harrison.

The Giants parted ways with a true fan favorite when they released wide receiver Victor Cruz this offseason. Last year, Cruz avoided getting cut when he agreed to take a steep pay cut. Many expected things to play out the same way this offseason, but the Giants opted to release him outright and save $7.5MM against the cap. Cruz was productive last year, but he was far from the best version of himself. If Marshall performs the way that everyone is expecting him to, the Giants won’t really miss him. At least, not on the field.

Jennings was brought to New York with the idea that he would be the team’s workhorse. Unfortunately, two of his three seasons with the G-Men were marred by injury. This year, the Giants have shown no real interest in retaining Jennings and he continues to dangle on the open market. Some have speculated that Jennings’ participation in ABC’s Dancing With The Stars has killed his free agent appeal. Instead of ballroom dancing, some talent evaluators feel that he should have been busy working out and lobbying teams for an opportunity. Jennings could land a deal in August, but we probably won’t see him back in New York.

The Giants raved about quarterback Ryan Nassib‘s work ethic and performance in practice, but we never got to see much of him in live action. Nassib’s last year with the Giants was spoiled by injury and the G-Men did not show any real interest in keeping him. The Syracuse product is now looking to stick with the Saints.

Trades:

Acquired a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 200; T Adam Bisnowaty) from the Titans in exchange for a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 207) and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 241; RB Khalfani Muhammad).

Draft picks:

1-23: Evan Engram, TE (Mississippi)
2-55: Dalvin Tomlinson, DT (Alabama)
3-87: Davis Webb, QB (California)
4-140: Wayne Gallman, RB (Clemson)
5-167: Avery Moss, DE (Youngstown State)
6-200: Adam Bisnowaty, T (Pittsburgh)

The Giants were reportedly targeting tackle Garett Bolles at No. 23 overall, but their plans were spoiled when the Broncos beat them to the punch. The Giants apparently weren’t very high on Ryan Ramczyk or Cam Robinson, because they abandoned the tackle plan entirely to draft Ole Miss tight end Evan Engram. In his eleven years as Giants GM, Jerry Reese has never moved up or down with his first round pick. If Engram isn’t a star and the Giants’ offensive line falters this year, fans may hold Reese’s draft day timidity against him.

The good news about Engram is that he still fills a need for the Giants at the tight end spot. At Ole Miss, Engram put his athleticism to good use as one of the team’s most dangerous offensive weapons. In his final year on campus, he was named first-team All-SEC as he recorded a team-high 65 receptions for 926 yards and eight touchdowns. Scouts have bashed Engram for his shaky blocking ability, but the hope is that Engram can focus on stretching the field while Ellison does the dirty work.

Dalvin Tomlinson has some big shoes to fill, but this is not unfamiliar territory for the Giants. In 2013, the Giants drafted Hankins in the second round to replace a starter on the defensive line. However, when Hankins joined the team, he was given a year as a backup to get into the swing of things and appeared in just 17% of snaps. The Giants may not have that luxury as Tomlinson currently projects to be one of the team’s starting defensive tackles. Unless veterans Robert Thomas and Jay Bromley can really impress coaches this summer, Tomlinson will be thrown straight into the fire.

The buzz around Davis Webb grew and grew leading up to the draft, to the point where some thought he might sneak into the first round. Instead, he went to the Giants in the third round. With a 36-year-old staring quarterback, it only made sense for the Giants to invest in their future. The hope is that Manning will get back on track in 2017 and stay healthy, meaning that Webb will be a long way from seeing any live action.

Extensions and restructures:

Dwayne Harris, WR: Accepted pay cut. Reduced 2017 base salary of $2.975MM to $2.475MM.
Shane Vereen, RB: Accepted pay cut. Reduced 2017 base salary of $3.15MM to $2.15MM. $1.25MM available via incentives.

Other:

Extended defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo through 2018.
Exercised 2018 fifth-year option for WR Odell Beckham Jr. (8.459MM).
Signed 14 undrafted rookie free agents.

ODB’s fifth-year option was the definition of a no-brainer. At some point, the Giants will work to extend the talented wide receiver on a deal that could rest the market at the position. However, they’re not prioritizing a new deal just yet.

Top 10 cap charges for 2017:

Eli Manning, QB: $19,700,000
Olivier Vernon, DE: $16,000,000
Janoris Jenkins, CB: $15,000,000
Damon Harrison, DT: $10,600,000
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB: $9,000,000
Justin Pugh, G: $8,821,000
Jason Pierre-Paul, DE: $7,500,000
Brandon Marshall, WR: $4,468,750
J.T. Thomas, LB: $4,000,000
Ereck Flowers: $3,925,045

With limited cap space to work with this offseason, the Giants were only able to do so much to retool on both sides of the ball. The Giants did manage to fill some serious holes, but questions remain about Manning and his effectiveness after a putrid 2016 season. The Giants say they like Johnson as their Plan B under center, but this offseason could ultimately be defined by the move they didn’t make – adding an established quarterback.

Information from Over the Cap and Roster Resource was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Paul Perkins Will Start, But Will Not Be Bell-Cow

By Rory Parks | at July 9, 2017 12:39 pm

Paul Perkins will be the Giants‘ starting running back this year, but as James Kratch of NJ.com writes, Perkins will be more of the lead back in a committee rather than a bell-cow. Kratch says Shane Vereen will get his share of carries, and Orleans Darkwa, Wayne Gallman, and Shaun Draughn all figure to be in the mix as well.

2 comments Dallas Cowboys New York Giants Tampa Bay Buccaneers Washington Commanders Charles Sims Kirk Cousins Paul Perkins Stephen Paea

Do Giants Have NFL's Best Big 3 WRs?

By Zachary Links | at July 7, 2017 9:50 am

Do the Giants have the best receiving trio in the entire NFL after adding Brandon Marshall? Todd Archer of ESPN.com believes that’s the case, particularly since Eli Manning likes to throw a lot and the opportunities will be there for Odell Beckham Jr., rising sophomore Sterling Shepard, and Marshall to shine. Marshall’s production took a step back in 2016, but we’ll soon find out whether that is due to aging or if the Jets’ offensive quagmire of last season is to blame.

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NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Elliott, Wilson

By Zachary Links | at July 6, 2017 9:12 am

It sounds like linebacker Eric Pinkins is now looking to make the Giants 53-man roster as a safety. Pinkins tells Dan Duggan of NJ.com that he saw an opportunity to move back to the secondary and jumped on it.

“Honestly, I took initiative,” Pinkins explained. “I went up to the guy that runs the scout cards because they had two receivers at safety. I was like, ‘I’ll give a way better look than receivers out there.’ So he ended talking to the head man (Ben McAdoo) and I saw him just smirk and shake his head, ‘Yes.’ Then I was like, ‘Yes! It’s my opportunity to show them I can play safety.’ I ended up going back there. Two plays later, (Sterling Shepard) was running a corner route, I picked it and I’ve been playing safety ever since.”

Pinkins appeared in six games for Seattle in 2015 and made five appearances for the Giants last season. He hasn’t seen a ton of action over his two NFL seasons, but he might have an opportunity to see more time as a backup to Darian Thompson and Landon Collins this year.

Here’s more from the NFC East:

Ezekiel Elliott‘s situation with the league office has dragged on for months and it’s anyone’s guess as to why things are taking so long. It could be that investigators are working toward resolving what amounts to a dispute between the Cowboys running back and his accuser as to what he did and didn’t do, Mike Florio of PFT writes. It could also be that the person making the decision at the league office is getting pressure from both Jerry Jones and the league’s public relation arm. Many expected that there would be a resolution for Elliott during Fourth of July weekend, but that did not happen.
The arrest of Cowboys linebacker Damien Wilson does not put additional pressure on Jaylon Smith to perform, Kevin Sherrington of the Dallas Morning News opines. If Smith has as much talent as Jones has indicated, then he might be the better player of the two anyway. Of course, it still remains to be seen whether Wilson will miss significant time due to the unfortunate events that transpired on Tuesday. There’s also no guarantee that Smith will be ready for the start of the season, though he is confident that he’ll be ready for Week 1.
Former Eagles wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham has cleared waivers.

3 comments Dallas Cowboys New York Giants Eric Pinkins

Opinion: Giants Have NFC East's Best WRs

By Zachary Links | at July 5, 2017 3:40 pm

The addition of Brandon Marshall gives the Giants the best overall group of wide receivers in the NFC East, Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News writes. The Giants’ big three youngsters Odell Beckham Jr., Sterling Shepard, and Marshall, he argues, gives them a leg up over the Cowboys with Dez Bryant, Terrance Williams, Cole Beasley. The Eagles, with the free agent addition of Alshon Jeffery, finished third on Machota’s list. The Redskins, who replaced Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson with Terrelle Pryor and Brian Quick, came in last.

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NFC East Notes: Cousins, Redskins, JPP

By Zachary Links | at July 4, 2017 3:00 pm

If given a choice, which NFC East quarterback would you want leading your team for the next three years? Todd Archer, Jordan Raanan, and John Keim of ESPN.com all agree that Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins is the guy to have. That answer may come as a surprise to some people since the division also features two-time Super Bowl champ Eli Manning and rising stars Dak Prescott and Carson Wentz. However, the consensus here is that Cousins is the most reliable of the quartet since he has proven himself over the last two years. More needs to be seen from Prescott and Wentz, the writers argue, and it’s hard to bet on Manning given his age and the down year he had in 2016.

Here is more from the NFC East:

Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul has come a long way in the last two years, Mike Florio of PFT writes. On this day in 2015, JPP’s unfortunate fireworks mishap shook the football world on an otherwise quiet holiday weekend. Pierre-Paul was already scheduled to play out the season on the franchise tag but lost millions that year after being sidelined for multiple games. Against all odds, JPP still looked good on the field despite the condition of his hand and he parlayed a strong 2016 into a four-year, $62MM deal this past offseason. Some fans laughed at the notion that Pierre-Paul could recover from such a devastating injury, but he was arguably better than ever in 2016.
The Redskins have to offer Cousins around $75MM to $80MM in total guaranteed money if they hope to lock him up on an extension this month, Mike Jones of The Washington Post writes. The deal would also have to have an average annual salary of between $25MM and $27MM, but the numbers don’t mean much if Cousins doesn’t actually want to be in D.C.. A recent report indicated that Cousins still has serious reservations about staying with the Redskins long term.
Over the weekend, Redskins running back Matt Jones made a change in representation.

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