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Contract Details: Jennings, Slayton, Maye

June 1st, 2024 at 2:06pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are some details on recently agreed upon deals from around the league:

  • Jauan Jennings, WR (49ers): Two years, $15.39MM. We noted a couple of details in our original report of Jennings’ one-year bump, but thanks to OvertheCap.com, we now have a few more details. First, we see that San Francisco is taking advantage of the recent void year trend that continues to grow in popularity. Jennings’ deal contains four void years at the conclusion of his contract, spreading $14.15MM of his cap hit from 2026 to 2029. Because of this, his cap hits for the next two years will be $2.77MM and $4.26MM, respectively, but if he doesn’t sign a new deal by 2026, he will hold an $8.3MM cap hit despite not being on the roster that year. We originally noted the reported guarantees as $10.54MM, but we now know that he is guaranteed $8.44MM at signing consisting of his $6.21MM signing bonus and both years’ base salaries (worth $1.06MM in 2024 and $1.17MM in 2025).
  • Darius Slayton, WR (Giants): Two years, $12MM. We recently saw the Giants add some incentives to a restructured deal for their leading receiver of the past few years. Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 reports that, as a result of the new deal, New York will see Slayton’s cap hit drop from $8.15MM to $7.75MM. His base salary in 2024 also sees a reduction from $2.7MM to $2.5MM. He should receive a $2.4MM roster bonus, a $350K workout bonus, and could earn up to $750K for the year in per game active roster bonuses.
  • Drake Maye, QB (Patriots): Four years, $36.64MM. Most rookies don’t get much say in how their first NFL contracts look. Overall contract value for first-year players is determined by their draft slot. One point of negotiation, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, appears to be the time it takes for a rookie to receive guaranteed money like signing bonuses. On this note, New England’s new passer will receive all $23.47MM of his signing bonus within 14 days of signing the deal, a huge, timely payout for the North Carolina-product.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/31/24

May 31st, 2024 at 8:58pm CST by Adam La Rose

Friday’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

  • Released from IR via injury settlement: TE Tucker Fisk

Minnesota Vikings

  • Waived: OL Matt Cindric 

New York Giants

New York Jets

Giants WR Allen Robinson: ‘I’ve Got A Couple More Years In Me’

May 31st, 2024 at 6:06pm CST by Adam La Rose

Allen Robinson will play for his fourth different team in as many years if he manages to make the Giants’ roster in 2024. The veteran receiver acknowledged he was caught off guard by the fact he was a free agent this offseason while adding he has no intention of retiring.

The 30-year-old spent last season with the Steelers, serving as a full-time starter. Robinson’s production (34 catches for 280 scoreless yards) represented a step back from that of past years, though, and Pittsburgh made the unsurprising move of cutting him in March. That led to an unexpected (from Robinson’s perspective) stint in free agency.

“I know for them, they were doing a lot of changes over there, schematic changes, and different things like that,” he said of Pittsburgh (via Michael Elsen of Giants.com). “So, it was a little surprising. But at the end of the day, it’s a part of the business. I’ve been in this thing now going on 11 years.”

The former second-rounder established himself as a high-profile receiver during his time with the Jaguars and Bears, topping 1,000 yards three times in a career known for often featuring sub-par quarterback play. Those stints were followed by one-and-done campaigns with the Rams and Steelers, during which Robinson saw his outuput drop considerably. He will aim to rebound this year as at least a depth contributor for the Giants.

“I knew right away I was playing again,” the Penn State product added. “In my eyes, I know for sure I’ve got a couple more years in me. Last year, kind of stepping into the season, I wasn’t quite 100 percent. I was coming off a foot injury. So, being able to have this offseason to really be healthy and train and do all those things, I knew for sure. There was no doubt for me as far as playing wise.”

New York’s 2024 receiving corps includes Malik Nabers, selected with the sixth overall pick after the team’s Drake Maye trade-up efforts were rebuffed. The Giants also have Darius Slayton back in the fold with an apparent contract resolution having been found. They, along with the likes of Jalin Hyatt, Wan’Dale Robinson and Isaiah McKenzie will play varying roles in New York’s passing game. Robinson could provide a veteran presence to that group while potentially helping his 2025 free agent stock in the process.

Giants Sign Round 2 S Tyler Nubin, Complete Draft Class

May 31st, 2024 at 1:35pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Giants announced on Friday that second-round safety Tyler Nubin has signed his rookie deal. As a result, all members of New York’s draft class are now on the books.

Nubin spent his entire five-year college career at Minnesota. He played in only five games as a freshman, but after that he was a key contributor to the team’s secondary. Each season from 2021-23 featured multiple interceptions being recorded (including a career-high five this past campaign to go along with 53 tackles and one sack).

Nubin earned Academic All-Big Ten honors four times during his tenure with the Golden Gophers, something which added to his on-field production in helping his draft stock. He was the first true safety to hear his name called during the 2024 draft (Eagles prospect Cooper DeJean has experience at that spot but also at corner), coming off the board 47th overall. Nubin should have an immediate path to playing time in New York.

The Giants saw Xavier McKinney depart in free agency this offseason when he landed a Packers deal averaging $17MM per year. New York elected not to match that offer, leaving McKinney free to follow in the footsteps of Julian Love one year ago in finding a new home on the open market. With the former no longer in the fold, a starting safety spot is up for grabs this offseason.

Nubin will be competing for the opportunity to join Jason Pinnock as a first-teamer in 2024 and beyond. The 6-2, 205-pounder was lauded for his well-rounded skillset in college, and he should be able to contribute right away at the NFL level. If that turns out to be the case, New York will have a McKinney replacement for at least the next four seasons.

Here is the final breakdown of the Giants’ 2024 draft class:

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/30/24

May 30th, 2024 at 7:55pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Kansas City Chiefs

New York Giants

Malik Herring was an exclusive rights free agent, meaning he was all but destined to return to Kansas City. The former UDFA has spent the past two seasons with the organization, compiling 16 tackles and 1.5 sacks in 14 games. Herring also got into all four playoff games this past season.

Elijah Riley joins the Giants after having appeared in 30 games with the Eagles, Jets, and Steelers. He got into a career-high 13 games with Pittsburgh this past season, finishing with 12 tackles while earning the majority of his snaps on special teams. Gary Brightwell was a sixth-round pick by the Giants in 2021, but he struggled to carve out a role behind Saquon Barkley. Brightwell’s tenure in New York will end with the RB having collected 256 yards from scrimmage.

Giants Add Incentives To WR Darius Slayton’s Contract

May 30th, 2024 at 11:16am CST by Sam Robinson

Darius Slayton‘s return to Giants practice looks to have ended a brief contract squabble. While the team’s top wide receiver during the Daniel Jones era has not secured an extension, the Giants did make a move that led to his return to practice.

The team added incentives to Slayton’s contract, with the wideout confirming (via the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy) that helped lead him to show for voluntary workouts. No additional guarantees come with these incentives, per SNY’s Connor Hughes, but the prospect of additional cash was enough to bring the sixth-year wideout to OTAs.

More specifically, the Giants added $650K in incentives to Slayton’s contract, ESPN.com’s Field Yates tweets. The team previously included $1.5MM in incentives for Slayton in 2024; that number is now at $2.15MM. The Giants have Slayton going into the second season of a two-year, $12MM deal.

The additional incentives mark an interesting step for the parties, seeing as this Giants regime forced Slayton into a pay cut on his rookie deal less than two years ago. But Slayton and this Joe Schoen-led front office had been in talks about a resolution for a few weeks now.

Drafted during the Dave Gettleman GM years, Slayton has helped the Giants after the team made some mistakes on the receiver front. The Golden Tate signing underwhelmed in 2019, and the 2021 offseason — which featured a disastrous Kenny Golladay contract and a Kadarius Toney first-round misfire — set the team back at the position. Amid the missteps around him, Slayton has led the Giants in receiving in four of the past five seasons. Though, he has never topped 800 yards in a single campaign.

While the Giants made an interesting offer to the Patriots in hopes of adding an eventual Jones replacement (Drake Maye), they instead used the No. 6 overall pick to acquire a pass catcher (Malik Nabers) poised to supplant Slayton as the team’s top wideout. Slayton now resides as a Gettleman-era investment — albeit one Schoen re-signed in 2023 — in a receiver cadre otherwise flooded with Schoen pickups. The team has 2023 third-rounder Jalin Hyatt and 2022 second-rounder Wan’Dale Robinson in the fold, joining other players acquired under Schoen — Allen Robinson and ex-Schoen/Brian Daboll Bills pieces Isaiah Hodgins and Isaiah McKenzie.

This bevy of options, Slayton’s arrival under Gettleman and his contract-year status could conceivably make him a trade chip — depending on how Hyatt and Robinson continue to develop — before this year’s November deadline. The Giants, however, have continued to back Jones and appear more likely than not to see Darren Waller retire. Having a proven wideout option to help a quarterback who has never exactly been blessed with reliable receiving casts makes sense. For the time being, Slayton is moving forward with the team that drafted him five years ago.

Giants WR Darius Slayton Attends OTAs

May 28th, 2024 at 6:11pm CST by Ben Levine

While the Giants and Darius Slayton have yet to resolve the receiver’s salary concerns, it sounds like the player was at practice today. As Dan Duggan of The Athletic observes, Slayton was in attendance at Giants OTAs.

[RELATED: Trade Candidate: Darius Slayton]

Slayton was absent during the early portions of organized team activities as he pursues a new contract. The wideout re-signed with the Giants last offseason on a two-year, $12MM pact. He’s already earned a $2.6MM roster bonus this year, and he’s attached to a base salary of $2.5MM for the 2024 season.

GM Joe Schoen previously expressed optimism that the two sides would come to a resolution, and Slayton hinted that his camp was having conversations with the organization. However, since news first broke of Slayton’s contract pursuit, the Giants have only made it easier on themselves to move on from their top wide receiver. The team used the sixth-overall pick on LSU’s Malik Nabers, although Schoen did say the selection wouldn’t impact the front office’s handling of the Slayton situation.

While Slayton is apparently back at practice, his future in New York will continue to be murky until he signs an extension. The receiver has already been mentioned as a trade candidate, and even though the Giants couldn’t command a significant return for the veteran, they still might see some incentive in moving off his $8.15MM cap hit for 2024.

The former fifth-round pick has transformed into New York’s top receiver in recent years. Despite an inconsistent offensive role, the 27-year-old has still topped 700 receiving yards in four of his five NFL seasons, including a 2023 campaign where he finished with a career-high 770 receiving yards. While he’s sat atop the depth chart in recent years, Slayton would never be confused with a true No. 1 receiver, but the player could still justify a pay raise as a No. 2 wideout.

NFL Contract Details: Singletary, Jones, Peat

May 27th, 2024 at 6:48pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are some details on recent new contracts around the NFL:

  • Devin Singletary, RB (Giants): Three years, $16.5MM. We had a number of details on Singletary’s contract in our original report, especially noting that the veteran rusher would have the ability to earn up to $3MM in incentives. Thanks to Dan Duggan of The Athletic, we now know how he can earn around $1MM of those incentives. $625K will be available based on his performance; Singletary can earn $125K for reaching 1,100 combined rushing and receiving yards, an additional $250K for 1,200 yards, and another $250K for 1,300 yards. The remaining $325K of the amount previously mentioned would come from playing time. Singletary can earn $125K for playing 56 to 65 percent of New York’s offensive snaps and an additional $250K for playing 66 percent or more.
  • Zay Jones, WR (Cardinals): One year, $2.25MM. In our original post, we noted that Jones’ deal will be worth up to $4.25MM. OvertheCap.com lists his contract value at the $2.25MM amount listed about. The deal has a guaranteed amount of $1.15MM consisting of $650K of his 2024 base salary (worth a total of $1.41MM) and a $500K signing bonus. Jones can also earn a per game active roster bonus of $340K for the season.
  • Andrus Peat, OL (Raiders): One year, $2MM. We didn’t see much in initial reports on Peat’s deal with Las Vegas on salary, but thanks to Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football, now we know that his contract will be for the $2MM-figure noted above. Underhill also tells us that Peat’s deal will include a guaranteed amount consisting entirely of a $450K signing bonus.

Trade Candidate: Darius Slayton

May 26th, 2024 at 10:15pm CST by Ely Allen

The Giants offense has the potential to look extremely different in 2024 than they did in 2023. The starkest change obviously came with star running back Saquon Barkley heading to division-rival Philadelphia. The departures also included those of backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor and backup running back Matt Breida, and there’s a chance that the team is not nearly done seeing players walk out the door.

One possible additional departure could be veteran tight end Darren Waller. After injuries limited him in each of the past three years, Waller has been seriously contemplating retirement. While the team was hoping for an update by the draft, that deadline came and went with no decision. The most recent report claims that Waller will inform the team of his intentions by the time the Giants dismiss players for the summer break.

The other potential departure is a bit less cut-and-dried. The more mercurial situation is that of the contract of veteran wide receiver Darius Slayton. The 27-year-old wideout is heading into his sixth year of NFL play and the second year of the two-year, $12MM contract he signed last year to remain in New York. With another contract-year on the horizon, Slayton has been playing hardball in his attempts to attain his third NFL deal.

In April, Slayton made it clear that he was staying away from the first phase of offseason workouts for the Giants, taking a note out of Courtland Sutton‘s book in Denver. That strategy can only work for so long, though, as missing any of the team’s mandatory minicamp in June will result in fines. Giants general manager Joe Schoen denied at that time that the team was engaging in any extension conversations, but Slayton claimed that his agent, Michael Perrett, was in negotiations with Schoen following the draft.

Slayton has excelled in his role after being drafted in the fifth-round out of Auburn in 2019. He exploded onto the scene as a rookie, leading the team in receiving yards (740) and touchdown receptions (8). Since then, Slayton has led the Giants in receiving yards while surpassing 700 yards in every season except for one injury-limiting 2021 campaign. While impressive as a rookie, his inability to improve on those numbers has been limiting to New York’s offensive potential.

While leading the team is certainly an accomplishment, it may also be more a mark on the talent of the team’s receivers. He’s hardly ever the most-targeted player on the team and has twice been targeted fewer times than a running back or tight end. He’s put up impressive numbers for a fifth-round pick catching balls off the arm of Daniel Jones, but he hasn’t nearly put up solid, WR1 numbers.

The results of the draft may play a key role in Slayton’s future, as well. The Giants utilized their No. 6 overall draft pick on LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers, who many believe has the potential to be a true No. 1 wideout. Nabers also has the potential to add to a youth movement that could make Slayton superfluous. Last year saw second-year receiver Wan’Dale Robinson start to break out, and rookie third-round pick Jalin Hyatt began earning some starting snaps in the back half of the season. The two could pair up with Nabers to form a receiving corps that doesn’t need to depend on Slayton to lead the team anymore.

These three factors — Slayton’s hold out strategy, his limited top-end production, and the potential youth movement at receiver — could push the veteran out of New York altogether. The Giants have yet to show that extending Slayton is a priority, and continuing to add young talent to the position room shows that he is not likely to become one.

There are plenty of teams who could use a receiver who could be a strong WR2. As we pointed out in our profile on Titans wideout Treylon Burks earlier this weekend, the Bills and Chargers are paramount on that list after each team watched top receivers (Stefon Diggs–Gabriel Davis and Keenan Allen–Mike Williams, respectively) depart in some fashion. The Steelers, Jets, and Ravens all have some question marks on the roster at those positions, as well, but each team would likely be wary of giving away too much for Slayton.

That is another factor for whether or not Slayton finds himself on the trading block. He may not bring in a massive return for New York. Still, even for only a late-round pick or two, shipping Slayton off may be the cleanest way out of overpaying Slayton as a subpar WR1. The team’s top receiver since his arrival in 2019 is set to represent a $8.15MM cap hit in 2024. Trading him away could result in $6.4MM of cap savings.

Daniel Jones Addresses Giants’ Offseason QB Pursuit

May 23rd, 2024 at 9:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

While the Giants hosted Russell Wilson and signed Drew Lock, they made a strong effort to acquire a long-term replacement for Daniel Jones in the draft. Countless connections to this year’s cast of arms emerged, leaving Jones in limbo for weeks going into the Detroit-based event.

Big Blue ties to J.J. McCarthy and Michael Penix Jr., along with the team’s Bo Nix visit, did not turn out to matter as much as the late flurry of reports tethering the club to Drake Maye. The steady late-April buzz on Maye turned out to be accurate, with both the Giants and Vikings offering future first-rounders with the purpose of drafting the two-year North Carolina starter.

The Giants offered Nos. 6 and 47, along with their 2025 first, to the Patriots with an eye on Maye. Holding the inside track thanks to a 4-13 2023 season, the Pats stuck at No. 3 and are developing Maye to be their hopeful long-term starter. The Pats’ interest in Maye became excellent news for Jones, who can breathe easier about his job security.

“Yeah, I mean, I wasn’t fired up about it,” Jones said (via the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard) about the Giants’ QB pursuit. “… I don’t think you can take anything personally at this level. How exactly it happened and what happened, I’m not sure I know; I’m not sure you know. But at the end of the day I’m focused on playing good football.”

Rumblings about the Giants using their disappointing season (and higher-than-expected draft slot) to draft a Jones successor following his ACL tear had surfaced back in November. By the Combine, a full-fledged QB research project was in high gear. But Giants interest in McCarthy, a popular topic earlier in the offseason, did not outweigh their hope Jones could improve if given a top-flight wide receiver prospect. The Giants walked through the latter door, giving their incumbent QB Malik Nabers to target.

The Giants’ plans at equipping Jones with impact targets have fizzled. They drafted Jones a month after trading Odell Beckham Jr. By 2021, the team’s WR plans bottomed out. Kenny Golladay became a historic free agency bust, and first-rounder Kadarius Toney quickly fell out of favor. The Joe Schoen regime’s trade for Darren Waller is looking like it will not produce any results beyond Year 1, with the former Pro Bowl tight end still considering retirement. As the earliest Giants WR pick in the common draft era (1967-present), Nabers represents a quality addition and will be a key part of what could certainly be Jones’ last chance with the team.

Jones received a text from the team before the Nabers pick, per ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan. The sixth-year QB remains confident he will be ready for Week 1 — long held as a realistic goal by player and team — and Raanan adds he is no longer wearing a knee brace. Jones has participated in seven-on-seven drills at OTAs.

The four-year, $160MM extension Jones signed drew immediate scrutiny, and the Eli Manning successor did not play well — albeit behind an injury-plagued O-line — before his November ACL tear. Two neck injuries have forced Jones to miss time over the past three seasons, with the starter’s injury trouble likely leading Lock to New York. While Lock may not be a true threat to take Jones’ job by Week 1 — contrary to one post-draft report — the former second-rounder might be a candidate to make starts down the stretch, as injury guarantees could come into play for the Giants. No guaranteed money will remain on Jones’ deal beyond 2024 — unless he unable to pass a physical by the start of the 2025 league year. That scenario would put the Giants on the hook for an additional $12MM.

For now, however, Jones is nearing a return from ACL surgery and will be aiming to develop a rapport with Nabers. While Saquon Barkley‘s defection stands to sting, the Giants will hope Nabers can fill a longstanding WR need. Jones will hope to show the Giants will not go into 2025 with a quarterback need.

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