Giants Notes: Fluker, Scherer
- D.J. Fluker isn’t going to earn a starting spot along the Giants‘ offensive line, and it’s possible he won’t even make the club’s roster, opines James Kratch of NJ.com. New York signed the 26-year-old Fluker to a one-year, $3MM deal ($1.5MM guaranteed) this spring, but he’s made no push to steal Big Blue’s starting right guard job from John Jerry. The Giants aren’t giving Fluker the opportunity to compete at right tackle, so the former first-round pick could be shown the door in favor of journeyman Adam Gettis.
- D.J. Fluker isn’t going to earn a starting spot along the Giants‘ offensive line, and it’s possible he won’t even make the club’s roster, opines James Kratch of NJ.com. New York signed the 26-year-old Fluker to a one-year, $3MM deal ($1.5MM guaranteed) this spring, but he’s made no push to steal Big Blue’s starting right guard job from John Jerry. The Giants aren’t giving Fluker the opportunity to compete at right tackle, so the former first-round pick could be shown the door in favor of journeyman Adam Gettis.
- After working out for the Bears last week, undrafted rookie linebacker Michael Scherer is set to audition for the Giants today, reports Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter link). Scherer, a Missouri product, appeared in 26 games for the Tigers from 2014-15 before a knee injury ended his senior season after seven contests in 2016. Ranked as one of the 30 best undrafted linebackers following this year’s draft, Scherer has yet to land an NFL contract.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/22/17
Today’s minor moves:
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: DE Whitney Richardson
- Waived/injured: DE Chris Landrum
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: DB Tyquwan Glass, LB Willie Mays
- Waived: RB De’Mard Llorens, DE Caushaud Lyons
New York Giants
- Signed: OL Matt Rotheram (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: LS Andrew DePaola
- Waived/injured: CB Jude Adjei-Barimah
Odell Beckham Jr. May Get Injury Insurance
A contract extension would give Odell Beckham Jr. some security against an injury scare like the one he got during Monday night’s preseason game against the Browns. While he works to hash things out with the Giants, Beckham is looking to give himself some additional comfort or, at least, drum up some leverage. The wide receiver is thinking about purchasing a massive insurance policy, possibly one in excess of $100MM in injury protection, sources tell Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports. 
“[If a deal isn’t done] by the regular season, he’ll take steps to protect himself. [But] a new deal is preferable to adding insurance,” one source told Robinson.
A one-year $100MM+ policy would cost Beckham upwards of $600K, Robinson hears. ODB is still on his rookie deal, but he can afford the expense as he is slated to earn $3.3MM in 2017. To date, he has already earned roughly $7MM in NFL salary, not counting his lucrative endorsement deals. The $100MM sum is not coincidental as Beckham has been pushing for a contract that would put him near the $100MM mark.
In 2016, Beckham earned his third consecutive Pro Bowl nod with 101 receptions for 1,367 yards and ten touchdowns.
Giants To Work Out OL Matt Rotheram
- The Giants will work out offensive lineman Matt Rotheram on Monday, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. Rotheram has bounced around the league for the past two seasons, residing on the Packers and Lions’ practice squads in 2015 and ’16, respectively. The Lions signed him to a reserve/futures contract in January but cut him earlier this week.
Giants OL Michael Bowie Charged With DV
Giants offensive lineman Michael Bowie has been charged with domestic assault and battery and two counts of malicious injury or destruction of property following an incident in Oklahoma earlier this summer, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com. A warrant for Bowie’s arrest was issued on Friday, reports Raanan.
Bowie was reportedly involved in an argument with his girlfriend when the disagreement became physical, leading Bowie to allegedly grab his girlfriend by the neck and throw her to the ground, per Tulsa County assistant district attorney Kenneth Elmore. Subsequently, Bowie broke two televisions and punched a hole in a wall.
“We were made aware of the Michael Bowie situation Saturday afternoon,” the Giants said in a statement. “We immediately notified NFL security. Michael will not make the trip for our game in Cleveland as we gather more information on the issue.”
The Giants, of course, are no strangers to dealing with domestic assault allegations against their players, as the club infamously dealt with abuse complaints levied at former kicker Josh Brown. New York didn’t handle the Brown situation correctly, re-signing him to a new contract even after having learned of his ex-wife’s assertions.
Bowie’s episode is unlikely to reach the national level that did Brown’s, if only because Bowie is a reserve lineman fighting for a back-end roster spot. That’s not to dismiss the allegations against Bowie, of course, but the Giants should have a relatively easy time parting with him if they so choose. Bowie, 25, started eight games for the Seahawks in 2014 but hasn’t appeared in a contest since.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/18/17
Here are today’s minor moves.
- Giants UDFA wide receiver Keeon Johnson broke his foot during Thursday’s practice and needed surgery, a source tells Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). He has been waived with an injury designation, and Raanan expects he’ll land on IR.
- In related moves, the Giants signed wideouts Ed Eagan and Canaan Severin and waived wide receiver Kevin Snead with an injury designation. Eagan entered the league as a Cowboys UDFA last year but ended up joining the Browns midway through camp. He spent last season bouncing on and off the Bills’ practice squad. Severin spent his would-be rookie year on the Steelers’ IR list; Pittsburgh cut him earlier this week.
- The Cardinals announced they’ve signed inside linebacker Ryan Langford and released wide receiver Marquis Bundy. Langford and Bundy were teammates at the University of New Mexico. Bundy was promoted to Arizona’s active roster late last season after spending most of it on the practice squad. The Texans cut Langford after training camp last year.
- A former Saints fifth-round draft choice in 2015, outside linebacker Davis Tull will sign with the Rams, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. Tull spent his rookie season on the Saints’ IR list and vacillated between free agency and the Falcons’ practice squad last season. The Tennessee-Chattanooga product was a Division I-FCS All-American in 2014.
- The Dolphins waived rookie seventh-round pick, wide receiver Isaiah Ford, with an injury designation. Ford had been rehabbing after a knee surgery. The Virginia Tech product is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons with the Hokies. Ford will revert to Miami’s IR if unclaimed on waivers.
- The Packers reached an injury settlement with tight end Beau Sandland, Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com tweets. Green Bay signed Sandland to a reserve/futures deal in January but waived him earlier this week.
- The Redskins also reached one with wideout Kendal Thompson, a former Utah quarterback who spent last season on Washington’s practice squad.
Giants’ J.T. Thomas Takes Pay Cut
J.T. Thomas‘ odds of making the Giants’ 53-man roster have improved. The linebacker accepted a major pay cut, taking his salary from $2.975MM to $775K in 2017, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The reworked deal includes a roster bonus of $20K plus a $400K bonus if he plays in 70% of the team’s snaps. 
The playing time bonus is hardly an automatic for Thomas. The 29-year-old suffered a season-ending knee injury in last year’s season opener and appeared in only 12 games in 2015, his debut season with the Giants.
When Thomas came to the Giants on a three-year, $10MM deal, he was signed to be the team’s starting weakside linebacker. This time around, he’s fighting to make the cut as a special teams player and backup linebacker. On the plus side, coach Ben McAdoo has expressed confidence in Thomas’ abilities.
“He’s working through individuals and we’ll have a plan to build him up as we go. We’re not going to rush into anything with him,” McAdoo said earlier this week. “He’s got a chance to build himself up, play some meaningful games as we go. There’s a pretty good chance he won’t play this next ball game, but he’ll have a chance to play here shortly.”
Thomas will now battle it out with Curtis Grant, Mark Herzlich, Calvin Munson, and Deontae Skinner for the final linebacker spots on the roster.
Eli Manning Wants To Play Into His 40s
- Giants quarterback Eli Manning, 36, told Ian O’Connor of ESPN.com on Wednesday that he’s optimistic about playing into his 40s. “Yeah, I think sitting here right now, I think I can play another four years,” said Manning, who’s under contract for three more seasons. Manning has been the picture of durability throughout his career, having played 16 games in every season other than 2004 – his rookie year, which he began as a backup. He’s similar in that regard to two-time Super Bowl opponent Tom Brady, whose ability to stay on the field for the vast majority of his career has helped him hang around into his 40s. Of course, durability was also key for Eli Manning’s brother, Peyton Manning, who managed to play until the age of 39.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/15/17
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Waived from injured reserve: RB/WR B.J. Daniels
Carolina Panthers
- Waived from injured reserve: S Dean Marlowe
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: CB Dejaun Butler, CB John Green, TE M.J. McFarland, WR Corey Washington
- Waived: OL Ruben Carter, WR Javontee Herndon, LB Lucas Wacha
- Waived/injured: TE Connor Hamlett
Detroit Lions
- Placed on injured reserve: DE Kerry Hyder, RB Mike James
- Waived: G Matt Rotheram
- Waived from injured reserve: WR Ryan Spadola
Green Bay Packers
- Waived: DL Shaneil Jenkins
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: WR Justice Liggins
- Waived/injured: RB Dalton Crossan
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed LB Kyle Coleman
- Waived/injured: LB Mike Moore
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: T Sean Hickey, WR Rashad Lawrence
- Waived: T Kwayde Miller
- Waived/injured: WR Francis Owusu
- Waived from injured reserve: WR Jordan Westerkamp
Giants Sign DL Bobby Richardson
The Giants have signed free agent defensive lineman Bobby Richardson and placed defensive tackle Corbin Bryant on injured reserve, the club announced today.
Richardson will now join his fifth NFL club, but he’s still only 24 years old. Although he didn’t see the field last season, Richardson did start 11 games (and made 15 appearances) for the Saints during his rookie campaign in 2015. During that season, he managed 40 total tackles and half-sack while playing on roughly half of New Orleans’ defensive snaps.
Since that time, Richardson has bounced around the league, seeing time on both offseason and practice rosters with the Redskins, Chiefs, and — most recently — the Broncos. Now with the Giants, Richardson will compete with Romeo Okwara, Devin Taylor, Avery Moss, Kerry Williams, and Ishaq Williams to earn a back-end roster spot.
Bryant, meanwhile, signed a one-year, minimum salary benefit deal with the Giants this offseason after spending the past five years in Buffalo. The 29-year-old only appeared in half of the Bills’ 2016 games before being sent to injured reserve with a shoulder injury. This time around, it’s a dislocated elbow that’s landing Bryant on IR, per Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com. Bryant could conceivably be released with an injury settlement at some point down the road, allowing him to latch on with another team.