Giants Waive CB Tramain Jacobs
- The Giants waived cornerback Tramain Jacobs, as James Kratch of NJ.com tweets.
Leon Hall Down To Two Teams
Leon Hall is visiting the Giants today, according to a source who spoke with Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Bengals are also interested in facilitating a reunion and, at this point, it looks like Hall is going to sign with one of those two teams, Schefter says. 
[RELATED: Bengals Still Considering Leon Hall]
In late June it was reported that although the Giants wanted to address their cornerback depth, Hall was more likely to sign with the Cardinals or Bengals. For one reason or another, the Giants seem to have leapfrogged the Cards as a landing spot for the veteran.
After dealing with a multitude of injuries throughout his career, including two torn Achilles, Hall underwent back surgery this offseason, and that ailment likely hurt his market this offseason. Still, Hall offers a great deal of experience and could be a solid slot corner for any team in need. Aside from the Giants and incumbent Bengals, Hall has also met with or been linked to the Cardinals, Falcons, Cowboys, Giants, and Dolphins. The Dolphins, in particular, could use some help at cornerback, but they are not interested in Hall or fellow veteran corner Antonio Cromartie at this time.
Injuries have been an issue for Hall, but they haven’t shut him down. The former Michigan Wolverine has played in 29 regular-season games over the last two seasons since last tearing his Achilles in 2013, and received solid grades from Pro Football Focus in 2015, ranking 33rd out of 111 qualified corners.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Giants Could Push To Acquire Anthony Davis
The Giants still need help along their offensive line, and some within the organization are pushing to acquire recently-reinstated 49ers tackle Anthony Davis, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Davis, of course, is back with San Francisco after taking the 2015 season off, and while the 49ers are reportedly cognizant that Davis could retire again, the “sense” is the club wants to keep the former first-round pick on its roster rather than trade him. New York, though, would be a logical destination for Davis is the Niners change their tune, as Big Blue is current counting on journeyman Marshall Newhouse to man the right side.
Giants Considering Extension For Justin Pugh
The Giants were among the most active teams during the free agent period, spending freely on the open market and handing nearly $200MM in contracts to veterans Olivier Vernon, Janoris Jenkins, and Damon Harrison. But with the regular season approaching, the club is turning its attention to incumbent players, and have had discussions about hammering out extensions for offensive linemen Justin Pugh and Weston Richburg, general manager Jerry Reese told reporters, including James Kratch of NJ.com (Twitter link), today.
[RELATED: Giants extend punter Brad Wing]
Pugh is under team control for two more seasons, as the Giants announced earlier this year that they would exercise Pugh’s fifth-year option for the 2017 campaign. As such, Pugh will earn abut $1.5MM during the upcoming season before making $8.821MM in 2017, meaning New York has its 2013 first-round pick locked up for a relative bargain. But if the Giants want to extend Pugh beyond next year, they’ll likely have to offer him an increase, likely working off that $8MM figure.
In his age-25 season, Pugh started 14 games at left guard after spending the first two years of his career dabbling (and struggling) at tackle. The move inside worked extraordinarily well, and Pugh helped New York’s offensive line to finish sixth in adjusted sack rate and 11th in adjusted line yards. Among left guard contracts, Pugh’s $8.821MM 2017 salary would rank second only to Kelechi Osemele‘s $11.7MM annual rate, and any negotiations would likely revolve around an $8MM average.
Like Pugh, Richburg has performed much better after undergoing a position change, as he transitioned to his natural center spot after playing guard as a rookie in 2014. The 25-year-old played the most snaps of any Giants offensive lineman, and graded out as the league’s third-best center, according to Pro Football Focus. However, because he was a 2014 draft pick, Richburg can’t renegotiate his deal under after the 2016 season, so any “discussions” New York management has had about extending him must have been internal and merely hypothetical.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Giants Make Handful Of Roster Moves
- The Giants have signed two defensive tackles – Jermelle Cudjo and Davon Coleman – and waived receiver Donte Foster and D-tackle Melvin Lewis, per a team announcement. Cudjo appeared in 45 games (four starts) with St. Louis and Detroit from 2010-15.
Tom Coughlin To Join NFL’s Football Ops. Dept.
Former Giants coach Tom Coughlin will be staying busy in 2016 as he has been hired by the NFL to join their football operations department, according to Jim Trotter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). 
Recently, Coughlin told Peter King of The MMQB that although he will not be coaching in 2016, he is eager to coach again in 2017. Coughlin’s newest job will keep him involved in football and also in contact with influential executives that could consider him for vacancies next year.
“I’ve coached 47 years of my life,” the 70-year-old said in May. “You take it away, and that’s not an easy thing to duplicate.”
The Giants left the door open for Coughlin to assume a role within the organization after he stepped down as the team’s head coach, but indicated earlier this offseason that he is not interested. Coughlin interviewed for the 49ers’ vacancy this offseason as well as the Eagles’ head coaching job. Late in Philly’s search, however, Coughlin withdrew his name from consideration. Reportedly, Coughlin could have landed the Eagles job had he not had a change of heart.
Coughlin has coached in the NFL for 20 of the past 21 seasons, a streak broken only by his 2003 hiatus from the league. Coughlin won’t be on the sidelines this year, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see him back at it in 2017.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Will Giants Sign A Safety?
- Will the Giants sign a veteran safety? Given that no safety currently on the roster has more than three years of NFL experience, it could make some sense for the Giants, NJ.com’s James Kratch writes. However, Kratch doesn’t feel that available veterans like Bacarri Rambo, Donte Whitner, or Antrel Rolle would necessarily bring much more to the table. Rolle is on record as saying that he would like to return to the Giants. Whitner, ranked as the league’s No. 24 safety among 89 qualifiers in 2015 by Pro Football Focus, would make sense for a number of teams. Safety James Ihedigbo is also on the open market and waiting for the right opportunity.
Opinion: Victor Cruz Unlikely To Make 2016 Impact
- Even if he’s able to fully recover from his torn patellar tendon, Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz is unlikely to have much of an impact in 2016, opines Dan Graziano of ESPN.com. While uncertainty surrounds Cruz’s health, New York clearly isn’t counting on him, as the club drafted Sterling Shepard in the second round. As Roster Resource details, Shepard figures to start, while Dwayne Harris could also play a key role. Additionally, Big Blue has been rumored to be in the free agent receiver market, so perhaps the club could bring in external option as camp progresses.
Logan Thomas' Roster Spot In Jeopardy
- The Giants plucked Logan Thomas off waivers less than a month ago, but his time with Big Blue could be short-lived, according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. Rookie head coach Ben McAdoo‘s predecessor, Tom Coughlin, was a proponent of keeping two QBs, and Schwartz writes that it wouldn’t be a surprise for McAdoo to operate the same way. With Eli Manning and Ryan Nassib atop the Giants’ depth chart under center, Thomas might not make it to Week 1 in their uniform.
JPP-ESPN Lawsuit Going To Court In August
- Jason Pierre-Paul‘s lawsuit against Adam Schefter and ESPN for publishing his medical records that stemmed from the fireworks mishap-induced surgery last year will go to court August 25, but the network not only wants the case dismissed but seeks sanctions against the Giants defensive end for filing the lawsuit, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports. The judge seeing a possible difference between reporting JPP had a finger amputated and displaying to the public improperly disclosed medical records will decide this case, one that could have JPP paying for ESPN’s legal fees if the network prevails, Florio writes.